IRGC as terror org., stabbing attacks in Jerusalem, Boko Haram in Chad…

State Department unwilling to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization

Claiming that now is not the right time, the State Department is unwilling to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, despite its history of attacks dating back to the 1980’s.  While Iran is listed as a state sponsor of terrorism along with Syria and Sudan, the refusal to designate the IRGC is due to politics surrounding the nuclear deal.

In testimony last week to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Anne Patterson, Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, said that “I would not think they would meet the legal criteria” in response to a question about designating the IRGC as an FTO.  Iran has stated that any new sanctions would cause it to abandon the nuclear deal, giving the IRGC free rein to continue its activities.

Stabbing attacks continue in Jerusalem

Terror attacks on Israeli civilians yesterday targeted security guards, who all survived and managed to wound the attackers. In the first incident, a pair of Palestinian youths aged 12 and 13 charged a guard at a light rail station, stabbing him in the torso.  The guard shot one attacker while bystanders subdued the other.  A couple of minutes later, a lone attacker stabbed a guard at the Damascus gate in the old city.  He was also shot by a guard and later was pronounced dead.

There had not been stabbing incidents in November, leading to relative calm in Jerusalem and the removal of some checkpoints.  Yesterday’s incidents come on the heels of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the US along with the dismantling of a Hamas cell in the West Bank.

Chad declares state of emergency along border with Nigeria after Boko Haram attacks

Striking back against the Chadian government, which forced it to cede territory it had captured along the border earlier this year, Boko Haram is suspected of carrying out a suicide bombing yesterday, killing three civilians.  In response, Chad has declared a state of emergency and will begin operations as part of a multi-national force against the jihadists along with Benin, Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria, all of whom have been victims of Boko Haram’s violence.

After pledging allegiance to the Islamic State and re-branding itself “Wilayat Gharb Ifriqiyyah” (West Africa Province), Boko Haram has increased its suicide bombings and raids on Nigeria’s northern neighbors.

Other stories we’re following:

Britain expresses concerns about which opposition groups to invite for Syria talks in Vienna

American air strikes in Syria increasing

Iran charges officers with mutiny after refusal to deploy to Syria

American al-Qaeda suspect held in Yemen may be executed

Erdogan calls for new constitution and expanded presidential powers

Turkey open to deploying ground troops to Syria as part of coalition

KRG in northern Iraq faces crisis and threat from IS

Violence in Burundi continues, 9 killed in capital as police crackdown on opposition

Al-Shabaab releases video showing captive Ugandan soldier

Senate considers bill that would ban Guantanamo prisoner transfers to US