Author: M Barbu

Militant Islamist Groups Advancing in Mali

The recent militant Islamist attack in Bamako is part of a broader push by violent extremist groups into southern Mali and reflective of the deteriorating security in Mali under military rule.

Investigating How Conflict and War Contribute to Methane Emissions

How can reporters learn from new tools about specific causes of methane leaks in conflict-affected areas? We have examined some of the recent conflict hotspots across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) — namely Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Libya — to identify what the major sources of methane release are in the region, as well as to better understand how conflicts around the world could damage existing infrastructure and governance and lead to more emissions.

Experts react: Hassan Nasrallah is dead. What’s next for Hezbollah, Israel, and Iran?

His end may be just the beginning. On Saturday, Hezbollah confirmed that its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli air strike on Friday in the Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh, the site of the group’s headquarters. Nasrallah had run Hezbollah for more than thirty years, orchestrating and inspiring its campaign against Israel. His death is an enormous blow to Hezbollah, and it follows two weeks of ramped-up Israeli air strikes and covert operations against both leadership and rank-and-file of the Iran-backed group. Where does the beleaguered terrorist group go from here? Will Iran launch its own retribution against Israel? Below, Atlantic Council experts answer these questions and more.

Letta: Europe is a ‘financial colony’ of the US

The Italian technocrat also warned that member states’ refusal to relinquish control of their domestic banking sectors risks exacerbating Europe’s financial subservience vis-à-vis the US.

The United States’ ownership of European citizens’ banking data and domination of global payment systems mean that the European Union is increasingly becoming a “financial colony” of the US, former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta said on Wednesday (2 October).

Ali Karaki

Terror organization: Hizballah

Status: “Considered to be the chief of staff of Hezbollah military force in the Southern front.”

Role: Ali Karaki, is a senior leader within Hizballah’s Jihad Council. He led Mu’awaniyeh 105 (Southern Command) and was responsible for military operations in southern Lebanon.

Karaki has been in Hezbollah since its establishment. Over time, he rose through the ranks and took part in the 2006 Lebanon War. Karaki later became a member of Hezbollah’s Jihad Council, which is Hezbollah’s supreme command and served as the commander of the Southern Front. Additionally, he held Guinean citizenship.

Hassan-Khalil-Yassin

Terror organization: Hezbollah

Status: Senior member of Hezbollah’s intelligence array.

Role: He was in charge of identifying civilian and military targets on the northern border and deep within Israeli territory.

Yassin collaborated with all of Hezbollah’s offensive units, was personally involved in the planning of terror attacks that were executed during the war against Israeli civilians and soldiers, and planned additional attacks, even just days before his elimination.

Location: Lebanon

All Eyes On Balochistan – Remembering The Victims Killed By The Islamic Republic Of Iran In The Zahedan Massacre

On September 30, 2022, the Islamic regime violently repressed the demonstrations of Baloch protesters who were gathering in front of a police station in Zahedan – leading to what would become known as the “Zahedan massacre,” or “Bloody Friday,” in which more than 150 people were killed and hundreds injured. Baloch media outlet Balochwarna.com stressed that the protests in Zahedan erupted after news emerged that the police head of the coastal city of Chabahar, Colonel Ebrahim Kochzai, had raped a 15-year-old Baloch girl Maho Baloch on September 27, 2022, after arresting her for investigation.[1]

Writers And Politicians In Lebanon And Arab World: Nasrallah’s Assassination – A Golden Opportunity For Lebanon To Retake Control Of The Country From Hizbullah

The assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, Hizbullah’s secretary-general for more than 30 years, in a September 27, 2024 Israeli airstrike is being viewed by anti-resistance-axis politicians and journalists, both inside and outside Lebanon, as a rare historic and “golden opportunity” to remove Hizbullah from the equation and rebuild Lebanon. This opportunity, they stressed, must be seized quickly before the terror organization recovers and “Lebanon is lost forever.”