IRAQ UPDATE
ISIS is reeling from a recent shift in action by US and Iraqi forces over the past few days, when the US launched over 41 airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, one of which struck “a gathering of (IS) leaders near Mosul” possibly injuring the leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, according to US Central Command. Following the onslaught of airstrikes, President Obama has authorized an additional 1,500 US troops to Iraq and announced that forces are now “…in a position to start going on some offense” with ground troops provided by the Iraqi military. The addition of new troops would place US military presence at around 3,000 in an advise-and-assist capacity. (Al Jazeera November 9, 2014; Defense News November 7, 2014; ABC November 10, 2014)
BAHRAIN TO PUBLISH NAMES OF TERRORIST FINANCIERS
Countries taking part in an international conference hosted by Bahrain have agreed to “investigate and make public the names of terrorist financiers and facilitators.” It is just one of seven recommendations in the “Manama Declaration on Combating the Financing of Terrorism” issued at the conclusion of the meeting. The meeting was attended by more than 30 countries and included international organizations like the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, and European Commission. The Declaration seeks to strengthen international cooperation and action against the financing of terrorism. (Gulf News November 10, 2014)
SAUDI ARABIA FUNDS $3 BILLION IN FRENCH ARMS TO LEBANON
The Lebanese Army will be receiving a multi-billion dollar shipment of arms from France after a deal was agreed to with Saudi Arabia. The international community has backed the Lebanese military in its recent struggle against Islamic militants, including the Islamic State, which conducted attacks last month that left nearly a dozen Lebanese soldiers dead. The additional $1 billion in military aid from Saudi Arabia and a shipment of Hellfire missiles from the US confirms Lebanon’s status as a decisive battleground for the fight against terrorism in the Middle East. (Defense News November 4, 2014)
LIBYAN CITY, EGYPTIAN MILITANTS PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO ISIS
The city of Darna in Libya has pledged allegiance to the group known as ISIS and declared itself a part of the caliphate. The city’s government buildings are now Islamic State offices and the city has already “seen religious courts ordering killings in public, floggings of residents accused of violating Shariah law, as well as enforced segregation of male and female students.” The declaration makes the city of Darna the only area outside Syria and Iraq that is under control of the “caliphate” and may become a model for future cities to follow. Nearby, the Egyptian group Ansar Bait al-Maqdis declared its allegiance to ISIS in a recording on its twitter account. In the nine minute recording, the group urged other Muslims to follow suit and support ISIS. Egyptian officials say that the change in allegiance will have no effect on counter-terrorism efforts against the group and others in the region. (ABC News November 9, 2014; Al Jazeera November 10, 2014)
JORDAN DICTATES ACCEPTABLE ISLAM TO CLERICS
Authorities in Jordan held a mandatory meeting for Muslim clerics in Amman to inform them of unacceptable preaching practices. After the “rapid advance of the Islamic State in neighboring Syria and Iraq,” Jordan has turned to the mosque for its fight against extremism. The Minister of Islamic affairs has placed additional restrictions on the length of sermons and the approved topics for discussion. Those who comply with the new restrictions are offered “government salaries of about $600 a month, religious workshops, travel assistance for pilgrimages to Mecca, and weekly guidance,” while those who do not face “banishment from the pulpit for life.” (Washington Post November 9, 2014)