AQIM SETS SIGHTS ON TUNISIA
General Carter Ham, the outgoing head of U.S. Africa Command, indicated that he believes al-Qaeda’s African affiliate “intends to establish a presence in Tunisia.” General Ham stated that Tunisia’s leaders are committed to preventing the group from gaining another foothold in North Africa but warned that al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb is one of the best funded and organized jihadist groups in the region. The U.S. has expressed an interest in working more closely with Tunisia to combat terrorism. Last October, Tunisia acquiesced to U.S. demands to question a man suspected of involvement in the attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, but only after the U.S. threatened to suspend foreign aid to Tunis. (The Hill, March 27, 2013)
HAMAS TO CHOOSE NEXT LEADER
The senior leadership of Hamas has gathered in Cairo to select the next head of the terrorist organization’s political wing. Ismael Haniya, the current leader of the Palestinian government in Gaza, is expected to win. His main challenger is the incumbent head of the political branch of Hamas, Kahlid Meshal, who is running for re-election despite living in exile. Hamas holds internal elections every four years. (Al Arabiya, April 1, 2013)
AFGHANISTAN, TAJIKISTAN TALK ECON TIES
The Tajik president and Afghan foreign minister recently met to discuss plans for boosting economic cooperation. Emomali Rahmon and Zalmai Rasoul, acting on behalf of Tajikistan and Afghanistan respectively, met in Dushanbe to negotiate the terms of a railroad project that would connect the countries, as well as the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project or CASA 1000. Tajikistan indicated that it would be willing to help train Afghan railway workers in order to facilitate regional economic projects. Rahmon and Rasoul also discussed a trilateral trade and transit agreement with Pakistan, and joint actions to improve regional security. (The Nation, March 31, 2013)
LEBANESE PM RESIGNATION STIRS TENSIONS
The resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati’s sparked violent clashes between Alawites and Sunni Muslims in Tripoli, leaving three people wounded. The already-delicate sectarian landscape in Lebanon has grown more volatile as the Syrian civil war shows no sign of abating. Lebanese are split over support for Assad’s regime, and support for the rebels fighting Assad. Mikati, a Sunni, suggested that sectarian tensions were preventing him from extending the term of Lebanon’s internal security chief and preparing for the country’s June parliamentary elections. The struggle to maintain a balance between religious and ethnic sects has become a major concern for the Lebanese given the fear that continuing conflict will spark another civil war within Lebanon. (CNN, March 25, 2013)
SYRIAN OPPOSITION ELECTS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN AS ITS LEADER
The Syrian National Coalition (SNC) opened an embassy in Doha, Qatar after the Arab League allowed them to occupy Syria’s seat at the summit. The Coalition has been recognized as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people by more than 100 nations. The embassy building that will be used by the SNC was previously used by diplomatic representatives of President Bashar al-Assad’s government, which expressed outrage at the Arab League’s decision to seat rebel leaders at the summit, arguing the Arab League was in violation of its own charter for seating, “an illegitimate party.” (CNN, March 27, 2013)