Afghanistan – On the 30 Jul 15 LWJ reported that the Taliban overran the district centre and several military and police installations in Now Zad in the southern Afghan province of Helmand. The fall of Now Zad is the latest in a series of setbacks for the Afghan security forces and government, which are struggling to maintain control of areas liberated from the Taliban just a few years ago. The Taliban claimed it launched “a coordinated assault on enemy positions around Now Zad district centre” on the 28 Jul 15 according to a statement on its official website, Voice of Jihad. Six “check posts” were overrun on the first day, and the jihadist group said it killed 25 security personnel. The next day, the Taliban claimed that “Mujahideen managed to overrun the PRT [Provincial Reconstruction Team] building along with 2 more check posts overnight, killing 14 hireling troops” and seized weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and other equipment. According to the Taliban report, Afghan security forces “abandoned” five outposts and withdrew from the district centre after the jihadist group massed for an assault. While the details of the Taliban claims cannot be verified, the fall of Now Zad was confirmed by a member of Helmand’s provincial council and other officials. Eight soldiers and four policemen are reported to have been killed in the fighting, according to Khaama Press. Now Zad was the scene of heavy fighting between the Taliban and British and then US Marines from 2007 to 2010. More than 900 US and British troops and 150 Afghan soldiers launched Operation Cobra’s Anger in early Dec 09 to liberate the district from the jihadist group’s control. The Taliban were driven from the district after heavy fighting. Since the summer of 2014, Taliban have made a push to retake the districts of Now Zad, Musa Qala, Sangin, and Kajaki in northern Helmand. The Taliban offensive in Helmand has stretched the Afghan security forces thin. After two months of fighting in Sangin, local Afghan officials opened peace talks with the Taliban. Earlier this month, the Taliban released a video showing its forces parading in Kajaki. Afghan officials have said the district is largely under Taliban control. The Taliban have made a push on multiple fronts to regain territory it lost during the US “surge,” which began in the summer of 2009 and ended in the summer of 2012. More than 30,000 US troops were deployed to Afghanistan, primarily in the south, to retake Taliban-held areas in Helmand and Kandahar. While the Taliban suffered heavy losses and lost control of key districts, the group was not defeated militarily or politically. The Taliban regrouped and began attacking Afghan security forces as US forces began their withdrawal. In the north, the Taliban has taken control of districts in Kunduz, Sar-i-Pul, and Badakhshan over the past several months.
India – The US has issued a worldwide travel caution for its citizens including in India in the wake of increased threat coming in particular from the expanding global presence of the Islamic State it was reported on the 30 Jul 15. In its advisory, the US has mentioned that terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Taiba pose a major threat in India. In Aug 14, the US and regional partners commenced military action against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated terrorist organisation in Syria and Iraq, an official statement yesterday said. "In response to the airstrikes, ISIL called on supporters to attack foreigners wherever they are. Authorities believe there is an increased likelihood of reprisal attacks against the US, Western and coalition partner interests throughout the world, especially in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and Asia," the State Department said. India, it said, continues to experience terrorist and insurgent activities which may affect US citizens directly or indirectly. Anti-Western terrorist groups active in India include Islamist extremist groups such as Harkat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami, Harakat ul-Mujahidin, Indian Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Lashkar-e Tayyiba, the statement said. Past attacks have targeted public places, including some frequented by Westerners, such as hotels, trains, train stations, markets, cinemas, mosques, and restaurants in large urban areas. Attacks have taken place during the busy evening hours in markets and other crowded places, but could occur at any time, it said. The US government, it said, continues to receive information that terrorist groups in South Asia may also be planning attacks in the region, possibly against US government facilities, its citizens, or interests. The presence of al-Qaeda, Taliban elements, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, indigenous sectarian groups, and other terror organisations, many of which are on the US government's list of designated Foreign Terrorist Organisations, pose a potential danger to US citizens in the region, the State Department said.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on the 31 Jul 15 reported that four Indians have been kidnapped by the Islamic State extremists in Libya's Sirte. According to NDTV these four Indians are teachers who were teaching at at the Tripoli University for the last year. The kidnappers have not made any ransom demands yet and foreign ministry officials are trying to ascertain the whereabouts of these four Indians. These teachers were kidnapped from the Islamic State controlled area of Libya. There is still no information about 39 Indians who were kidnapped in Mosul town of Iraq by ISIS over a year ago. The Indian government had issued an advisory telling its citizens to leave Libya.
The ISIS is preparing to attack India to provoke an Armageddon-like confrontation with the US, according to an internal recruitment document of the group which also seeks to unite the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban into a single army of terror. An investigative story published on the 21 Jul 15 by USA Today and reported by American Media Institute refers to a 32-page Urdu document obtained from a Pakistani citizen with connections inside the Pakistani Taliban. "The document warns that 'preparations' for an attack in India are underway and predicts that an attack will provoke an apocalyptic confrontation with America," the report said. "Even if the US tries to attack with all its allies, which undoubtedly it will, the ummah (Muslims) will be united, resulting in the final battle," it added. The document, according to the report, was independently translated into English by a Harvard scholar and verified by several serving and retired intelligence official. Bruce Riedel, a retired CIA official and now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, said striking in India would magnify the IS' stature and threaten the stability of the region. "Attacking India is the Holy Grail of South Asian jihadists," he was quoted as saying. The undated document is titled 'A Brief History of the Islamic State Caliphate, The Caliphate According to the Prophet.' It seeks to unite dozens of factions of the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban into a single army of terror. "It includes a never-before-seen history of the Islamic State, details chilling future battle plans, urges al-Qaeda to join the group and says the Islamic State's leader should be recognized as the sole ruler of the worlds 1 billion Muslims under a religious empire called a 'caliphate'," it said. Aware of the IS' presence in Afghanistan, the White House said it is closely monitoring the situation. IS' presence and its threat perception was also discussed in the past two months between senior officials of US and Pakistan. "Instead of wasting energy in a direct confrontation with the US, we should focus on an armed uprising in the Arab world for the establishment of the caliphate," the document said. The document was reviewed by three US intelligence officials, who said they believe the document is authentic based on its unique markings and the fact that language used to describe leaders, the writing style and religious wording match other documents from the IS,
Pakistan – Ten Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants were killed and 13 security force personnel were wounded in separate attacks on the Samungli and Khalid air force bases, both close to the international airport in the city of Quetta in Pakistan's Balochistan province late on the 14 Aug 14. Provincial officials confirmed that two suicide bombers detonated their explosives and rocket-propelled grenades were fired in an unsuccessful attempt to force entry into the Samungli base, and that four improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were defused at the Khalid air base. The Ghalib Mehsud faction of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), known as Fidayeen Islam, immediately claimed responsibility for both attacks.
Turkey – The German foreign ministry has warned about possible attacks on Istanbul's underground rail network and bus stops in the wake of Turkey's assault on Kurdish armed groups in northern Iraq. "There could be increased attack activity by the PKK," the foreign ministry said in a statement on its website on the 29 Jul 15, referring to the Kurdistan Workers Party. "Beyond that there are indications of possible attacks on the underground rail network and bus stops in Istanbul," the ministry added. The warning comes as Turkey’s parliament held an extraordinary meeting on the 29 Jul to discuss military operations against the Kurdish rebels and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL. On the night of the 29 Jul the Agence France Presse news agency also reported that the Turkish cabinet approved the plan allowing the US to use an air base in Incirlik. for attacks against ISIL. Pro-Kurdish politicians have warned that Turkey's simultaneous attacks on PKK targets are threatening the peace negotiations with the Turkish government starting in 2012. Kurdish leaders have complained that they are "unfairly equated" with ISIL. There are worries that intensified bombardments could "provoke" Kurdish armed groups to escalate retaliations and destabilise the region further. Turkish warplanes struck targets of the PKK in northern Iraq and in southeast region of Turkey, in a wave of air raids against the Kurdish group, the prime minister's office stated on the 29 Jun. "Air operations were conducted throughout the night 28-29 July against the PKK terrorist group inside Turkey and outside," it said in a statement, listing six PKK locations in northern Iraq hit by the war planes. It said shelters, depots, logistical bases and caves found to be used by the PKK were targeted in the air strikes. The operations came after a recent bombing was blamed on ISIL that killed 32 mostly young Kurdish students in the Turkish town of Suruc on the border with Syria.
India – The US has issued a worldwide travel caution for its citizens including in India in the wake of increased threat coming in particular from the expanding global presence of the Islamic State it was reported on the 30 Jul 15. In its advisory, the US has mentioned that terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Taiba pose a major threat in India. In Aug 14, the US and regional partners commenced military action against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated terrorist organisation in Syria and Iraq, an official statement yesterday said. "In response to the airstrikes, ISIL called on supporters to attack foreigners wherever they are. Authorities believe there is an increased likelihood of reprisal attacks against the US, Western and coalition partner interests throughout the world, especially in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and Asia," the State Department said. India, it said, continues to experience terrorist and insurgent activities which may affect US citizens directly or indirectly. Anti-Western terrorist groups active in India include Islamist extremist groups such as Harkat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami, Harakat ul-Mujahidin, Indian Mujahideen, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Lashkar-e Tayyiba, the statement said. Past attacks have targeted public places, including some frequented by Westerners, such as hotels, trains, train stations, markets, cinemas, mosques, and restaurants in large urban areas. Attacks have taken place during the busy evening hours in markets and other crowded places, but could occur at any time, it said. The US government, it said, continues to receive information that terrorist groups in South Asia may also be planning attacks in the region, possibly against US government facilities, its citizens, or interests. The presence of al-Qaeda, Taliban elements, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, indigenous sectarian groups, and other terror organisations, many of which are on the US government's list of designated Foreign Terrorist Organisations, pose a potential danger to US citizens in the region, the State Department said.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on the 31 Jul 15 reported that four Indians have been kidnapped by the Islamic State extremists in Libya's Sirte. According to NDTV these four Indians are teachers who were teaching at at the Tripoli University for the last year. The kidnappers have not made any ransom demands yet and foreign ministry officials are trying to ascertain the whereabouts of these four Indians. These teachers were kidnapped from the Islamic State controlled area of Libya. There is still no information about 39 Indians who were kidnapped in Mosul town of Iraq by ISIS over a year ago. The Indian government had issued an advisory telling its citizens to leave Libya.
The ISIS is preparing to attack India to provoke an Armageddon-like confrontation with the US, according to an internal recruitment document of the group which also seeks to unite the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban into a single army of terror. An investigative story published on the 21 Jul 15 by USA Today and reported by American Media Institute refers to a 32-page Urdu document obtained from a Pakistani citizen with connections inside the Pakistani Taliban. "The document warns that 'preparations' for an attack in India are underway and predicts that an attack will provoke an apocalyptic confrontation with America," the report said. "Even if the US tries to attack with all its allies, which undoubtedly it will, the ummah (Muslims) will be united, resulting in the final battle," it added. The document, according to the report, was independently translated into English by a Harvard scholar and verified by several serving and retired intelligence official. Bruce Riedel, a retired CIA official and now a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute, said striking in India would magnify the IS' stature and threaten the stability of the region. "Attacking India is the Holy Grail of South Asian jihadists," he was quoted as saying. The undated document is titled 'A Brief History of the Islamic State Caliphate, The Caliphate According to the Prophet.' It seeks to unite dozens of factions of the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban into a single army of terror. "It includes a never-before-seen history of the Islamic State, details chilling future battle plans, urges al-Qaeda to join the group and says the Islamic State's leader should be recognized as the sole ruler of the worlds 1 billion Muslims under a religious empire called a 'caliphate'," it said. Aware of the IS' presence in Afghanistan, the White House said it is closely monitoring the situation. IS' presence and its threat perception was also discussed in the past two months between senior officials of US and Pakistan. "Instead of wasting energy in a direct confrontation with the US, we should focus on an armed uprising in the Arab world for the establishment of the caliphate," the document said. The document was reviewed by three US intelligence officials, who said they believe the document is authentic based on its unique markings and the fact that language used to describe leaders, the writing style and religious wording match other documents from the IS,
Pakistan – Ten Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants were killed and 13 security force personnel were wounded in separate attacks on the Samungli and Khalid air force bases, both close to the international airport in the city of Quetta in Pakistan's Balochistan province late on the 14 Aug 14. Provincial officials confirmed that two suicide bombers detonated their explosives and rocket-propelled grenades were fired in an unsuccessful attempt to force entry into the Samungli base, and that four improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were defused at the Khalid air base. The Ghalib Mehsud faction of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), known as Fidayeen Islam, immediately claimed responsibility for both attacks.
Turkey – The German foreign ministry has warned about possible attacks on Istanbul's underground rail network and bus stops in the wake of Turkey's assault on Kurdish armed groups in northern Iraq. "There could be increased attack activity by the PKK," the foreign ministry said in a statement on its website on the 29 Jul 15, referring to the Kurdistan Workers Party. "Beyond that there are indications of possible attacks on the underground rail network and bus stops in Istanbul," the ministry added. The warning comes as Turkey’s parliament held an extraordinary meeting on the 29 Jul to discuss military operations against the Kurdish rebels and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL. On the night of the 29 Jul the Agence France Presse news agency also reported that the Turkish cabinet approved the plan allowing the US to use an air base in Incirlik. for attacks against ISIL. Pro-Kurdish politicians have warned that Turkey's simultaneous attacks on PKK targets are threatening the peace negotiations with the Turkish government starting in 2012. Kurdish leaders have complained that they are "unfairly equated" with ISIL. There are worries that intensified bombardments could "provoke" Kurdish armed groups to escalate retaliations and destabilise the region further. Turkish warplanes struck targets of the PKK in northern Iraq and in southeast region of Turkey, in a wave of air raids against the Kurdish group, the prime minister's office stated on the 29 Jun. "Air operations were conducted throughout the night 28-29 July against the PKK terrorist group inside Turkey and outside," it said in a statement, listing six PKK locations in northern Iraq hit by the war planes. It said shelters, depots, logistical bases and caves found to be used by the PKK were targeted in the air strikes. The operations came after a recent bombing was blamed on ISIL that killed 32 mostly young Kurdish students in the Turkish town of Suruc on the border with Syria.
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