Islamic State in Libya: From Force to Farce?
Islamic State in Libya: From Force to Farce? - ICSR Report
In this report, Research Fellow Inga Kristina Trauthig argues that IS in Libya is trying to portray itself in a hyperbolic way. While the group’s activity in 2018 has been relatively weak – even more so in 2019 – the volatility and geography of the country as well as prevailing grievances remain pull factors for IS in Libya, which makes the group potentially threatening, even if the organisation is currently negligible.
She starts by briefly outlining the history of Islamic State in Libya and then examines the aspects that draw IS to Libya specifically, as well as its overall agenda. Then, she analyses data collected on IS in Libya in 2018 and 2019 in order to assess the group’s strength in the country. In the final part of the report, current conflict dynamics are related to the assessment of IS in order to provide an outlook for the terrorist group in the North African country of Libya.
After a Buildup to Counter Iran, U.S. Troops Begin Leaving Mideast
After a Buildup to Counter Iran, U.S. Troops Begin Leaving Mideast by Nancy A. Youssef and Gordon Lubold - Wall Street Journal
The U.S. military has begun to draw small numbers of troops out of the Middle East after concluding that the threat of reprisal attacks from Iran or its proxies has subsided, military officials said.
About 1,000 combat troops who had deployed to Kuwait days after the Jan. 3 strike that killed a top Iranian commander, Maj. Gen.Qassem Soleimani, have left the region over the past two weeks, the officials said. An additional 2,000 members of the same brigade are expected to leave the region in the weeks ahead, the officials said.
They are the first departures of ground forces since the increase in hostilities in January, signaling a tenuous confidence by U.S. officials that the immediate tension in the region has begun to decline…