After watching as Burma released a mere handful of political prisoners—between 11 and 30, according to various reports, all of whom had very little time left on their sentences—Burmese comedian and former political prisoner Zarganar wrote, “I once likened the situation of my friends in jail as being in the hands of Somali pirates. I now withdraw this comment. The Somali pirates keep their promise.” Indeed, his comments are laden with disappointment, reflecting the sentiments of Burma watchers worldwide. In years past, few would blink at such news, but since …
Following a devastating suicide blast earlier in the week in Somalia’s capital city of Mogadishu, leaders from the regional terror group al Shabaab issued a statement declaring that the perpetrator of the attack was American Abdisalan Hussein Ali. In an audio tape released by al Shabaab, and purported to be of Abdisalan Ali, the speaker exhorts the virtues of jihad and calls on his Western brothers to join the fight: “My brothers and sisters, do jihad in America, do jihad in Canada, do jihad in England, anywhere in Europe, in …
When al-Shabab withdrew its frontline forces from Mogadishu last August, the terrorist group vowed to launch a wave of asymmetric attacks against the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the African Union’s Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). On Tuesday morning, an al-Shabab suicide bomber attacked the Ministry of Education, killing 70 and wounding dozens. Among the casualties were young students waiting for notification on their acceptance for a scholarship in Turkey. Though al-Shabab targets primarily AMISOM troops and TFG officials, the group has been known to launch attacks against Somalia’s academic community …
Earlier today, President Obama confirmed the death of Anwar al-Awlaki, the U.S.-born Islamist radical and an important leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). As a high-value target, Awlaki is said to have elevated AQAP to one of the most dangerous wings of the organization. He was a key asset in spreading jihadist propaganda, often engaging potential recruits and terrorist organizations outside al-Qaeda’s network. Awlaki’s death is a victory for the United States, but it is a far cry from ending the war on terrorism. AQAP’s prowess as an …
President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s return to Yemen on Friday after four months in Saudi Arabia has sparked renewed violence after protestors launched demonstrations against the government that were violently repressed. Since the beginning of the uprising last January, Yemen—an already volatile and poor country—has plunged deeper into chaos, dividing the country and creating a power vacuum for al-Qaeda. On Sunday, Saleh attempted to appease protestors, promising elections and a peaceful transfer of power, as he promised many times before but failed to deliver. The opposition movement immediately rejected his option …
Piracy off the Horn of Africa increases every year due to constant instability in the region. In 2008, 111 vessels were attacked. Since the beginning of 2011, there have already been 188 attacks. Every year worldwide piracy costs the shipping industry billions of dollars in rerouting, ransoms, and many other related expenses. These costs are then passed on to the consumer. To curb piracy, the international community is working with regional partners to stabilize the region. Somalia’s U.N.-appointed Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has proven largely incapable of establishing law and …
Multiple news outlets are reporting that Libya has declared an immediate cease-fire in response to the United Nations resolution authorizing “all necessary measures” to stop the violence. This means only one thing: the whack a mole game has officially begun. Qadhafi will now pose as the victim of foreign intervention while at the same time trying to consolidate control of the oil ports and pipelines. The UN intervention will freeze the situation and split Libya into warring camps fighting a protracted civil war, which will fuel Islamist and tribal networks. …
With chaos erupting in North Africa and the Middle East, it’s easy to forget the many challenges the U.S. faces in the region. On Monday, Somali pirates seized an American yacht off the Horn of Africa. The next day all four Americans onboard were murdered by their captors. Piracy is one of the most common and most complicated issues for the international community. According to The Heritage Foundation’s Maritime Security report, each year, 21,000 commercial ships sail through the Gulf of Aden and Suez Canal, transporting over 10 percent of …
Bravo Zulu is navy parlance for “job well done.” South Korea’s naval commandos certainly earned that accolade by successfully rescuing all 21 hostages held aboard a South Korean freighter. On January 15, pirates armed with automatic rifles, heavy machine guns, and rocket-propelled grenades seized the Samho Jewelry ship 800 miles off the Somali coast. In an early morning attack, a South Korean SEAL unit seized control of the ship and freed all hostages. Eight pirates were killed, five were wounded, and none escaped. The daring rescue was fraught with risk. …
The recent attempts to explode packages aboard U.S.-bound airliners, linked to elements within the terrorist organization al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), underscore the perpetual danger posed by radical Islamists and their ideological brethren. Not relegated solely to attacks against Western interests, AQAP has leveled a series of regional attacks aimed at local government and civilian populations, most recently an attack aimed at a procession of Shiite worshipers that killed dozens. These dual attacks, and the divergent nature of their respective targets, illustrates the global threat that now often defines …
