Counter Terrorism - Washington Institute For Defence & Security

28 Mar 22

What’s Next for Mali?

The past few years have seen major political upheaval in the West African nation of Mali, with two coups in as many years. The most recent transition took place in May 2021, when President Bah Ndaw was ousted by his vice president and former special forces colonel, Assimi Goïta. The newly established junta, as recently […]

14 Mar 22

Why Religion matters: Safeguarding Spiritual and Community Leaders

Spiritual leadership is a combination of natural and spiritual qualities. It is used to influence God’s representatives towards assisting religious followers to achieve spiritual fulfillment. This webinar aims to present the factors that lead individuals towards the acceptance of violent extremism, the role of Community Leaders in preventing Violent Extremism and the role of Media […]

06 Mar 22

Video: Spotlight on the Western Balkans

Spotlight on the Western Balkans Video Link An assessment of security conditions in the region in light of international players’ interventions. The meeting will highlight funding of Jihadism, arms trade, and other security threats with a particular focus on UAE, Chinese and KSA activities in the region. Moderated by: Selen Eşençay | International Relations […]

10 Feb 22

Prison Break: What al-Sina’a means for the War against ISIS in Syria

On January 20th, the al-Sina’a prison camp in Hasakah, northeastern Syria, home to thousands of ISIS detainees, was rocked by explosions and gunfire. Immediately after, over 200 armed fighters began a large-scale assault on the camp while inmates staged a riot inside. Prisoners and attackers overwhelmed the guards and seized control of large portions of […]

07 Aug 21

Five more terrorists have been added to the US State Department’s worldwide terrorist list.

The State Department said on Friday that five suspected Islamist militants have been added to its Specially Designated Global Terrorist list, requiring any ownership or interests in U.S. properties they possess to be blocked. Individuals or foreign financial institutions who engage in specific transactions with the five might face US penalties as a result of […]

06 Aug 21

Facebook is too little, too late when it comes to combating online disinformation campaigns

Facebook has yet again come under fire for failing to stem anti-vaccination disinformation on its platform. But its failure to do so is not unprecedented; Facebook repeatedly hosts a variety of disinformation campaigns, ranging from allowing far-right extremist merchandise pages to allowing authoritarian nations to pay for adverts filled with false information. No action taken […]

14 Apr 21

US withdrawal from Afghanistan shows Biden’s bravery

The Biden administration’s plan to pull all American soldiers out of Afghanistan by September 11, 2021 was a good strategic move that required a lot of political bravery. The administration rightly judged that continuing the US military presence in Afghanistan has become a strategic burden and a pointless investment that has lost its potential to […]

08 Mar 21

Difficult post-ISIS challenges emerge for US, allies

BY SETH J. FRANTZMAN, The Hill – With the military defeat of ISIS in Syria, its once large “caliphate” that stretched across Iraq and Syria has been reduced to dozens of tents near the Euphrates River. Now, new challenges are arising. ISIS members from Western countries are demanding a right to return to their home […]

08 Mar 21

Russia’s Military Mission Creep Advances to a New Front: Africa

By Eric Schmitt, NY Times March 31, 2019 – OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — Russia has been steadily expanding its military influence across Africa, alarming Western officials with increasing arms sales, security agreements and training programs for unstable countries or autocratic leaders. In the Central African Republic, where a Russian has been installed as the president’s national security […]