Russia-Iran-Syria form Coordination Center, Cartels Seek Asian Expansion, Uganda Warns of Alshabaab threat…

Russians, Syrians, and Iranians setting up military coordination cell in Baghdad

Russian, Syrian, and Iranian military commanders have set up a coordination cell in Baghdad to begin working with Iranian backed Shia militias fighting the Islamic state. US officials say it is unclear if the Iraqi government is involved, but the cell includes Russian generals. Russia has been building up their support in Syria, worrying U.S. policymakers who fear it could have a destabilizing effect. Moscow has fostered ties with both the Syrian and the Iraqi government. The coordination comes after Russia has greatly extended its role in Syria, moving armor and fighter aircraft into the country to back Syrian dictator Bashar Assad. U.S. officials say the Russians successfully camouflaged the fighter jets by hiding them among the increased flow of cargo flights, beginning September 18^th and 19th. Russian destroyers are also in position off the Mediterranean coast.

Mexican drug cartels interested in Asian markets

As wealth grows in Asia, so has the presence of Latin American drugs. Drugs represent a significant portion of the illicit economy, worth more than $100 billion a year in East Asia alone. As the illicit economy increases, so have seizures, with 254 million methamphetamine pills intercepted between East and Southeast Asia in 2013. In several Asian countries, smugglers run the risk of the death penalty. There has been a drastic increase in the demand for cocaine, with key suppliers coming from Mexico. In Asia, a gram of cocaine can sell up to three times the price it would in the US. The cartels are studying regional trade deals, like TransPacific Partnership, currently under discussion, in an attempt to find new routes in which to hide contraband. Police and custom officials in Asia currently lack the connections and intelligence necessary to defeat Cartel traffickers. An increase in communication and cooperation with American law enforcement and intelligence agencies will be necessary to combat the growing Asian drug market.

Uganda warns of possible al Shabaab attack

Ugandan police are warning the public to be careful flowing reports of planned attacks by al Shabaab on the country’s mosques, including ones in the capital, Kampala. Police say that they received word of the possible attack on Thursday during the Eid al-Adha holiday. The search for the group is still continuing, but the public is being warned to remain alert. The city is currently under increased police protection. Since 2010 when twin bombs killed 79 people, the country has frequently operated under threat warnings. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for those attacks, claiming that they were seeking revenge for Uganda’s deployment of troops as part of the AMISOM against Al Shabaab in Somalia.

Gunmen open fire on Burundi’s capital

An unidentified gunman attacked a police station in Burundi, marking the latest example of violence in the country that has been in political turmoil since April. The East African nation has been under various attacks following President Pierre Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third term. The decision resulted in violent protests from opponents who say that he is constitutionally barred from another term. No one has claimed responsibility for the raid, with witnesses saying they began to hear heavy gunfire at 9 pm. The US and the EU have denounced Nkurunziza’s additional presidential term, saying the election was neither free nor fair.
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