Saudi IS Cell Busted, Saudi Officer Reportedly Captured in Yemen, Burkina Faso’s Coup…

Islamic State suspects arrested in Saudi Arabia

Saudi security forces arrested two suspects involved in an Islamic State sleeper cell, following separate operations taking place in Riyadh and Darma, Saudi Arabia. Two brothers, Ahmed Mohammed and Mohammed Saeed Zahrani were arrested in an operation Tuesday night in Riyadh. The brothers had been flagged for suspicious activity and captured following a gunfight. In a separate raid which took place shortly afterwards, a group of men fled a reported IS safe house in Darma, evading security, but leaving weapons, money, sketches for potential targets, and other equipment behind.

Saudi troops reportedly captured by Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen

Iran-supported Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen claim to have captured an unknown number of Saudi soldiers. Saudi Arabia is currently leading a coalition, including the United Arab Emirates, against the Houthis. Rebel footage Wednesday showed a man, identifying himself as a Sergeant of a Saudi brigade, claiming to be held hostage. However, the identity of the man has not yet been verified, and the Saudi’s have not acknowledged any personnel MIA. Saudi Arabia has traded fire with Houthi rebels on its southwestern border since the Kingdom intervened in the Yemen conflict on behalf of ousted President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. Hadi fled Yemen with his government relocating to Saudi Arabia, following the fall of the Yemeni capital to Houthi forces in alliance with troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Military officers overthrow government in Burkina Faso coup

Burkina Faso, located in West Africa has plunged into a state of chaos. As of today, military officers have overthrown the National Transitional Council that replaced the toppled government of 27-year ruler Blaise Compaoré last October. The coup against the interim government appears to be led by Compaoré’s long time ally, General Gilbert Diendéré. Interim President Michel Kafando, Prime Minister Isaac Zida, and other prominent officials were seized by members of the Presidential Security Regiment Wednesday night. Thursday morning military spokesman Lt. Col. Mamadou Bamba made a statement on behalf of the newly-declared National Council for Democracy, calling for an end to the National Transition Council, or the temporary government. As chaos mounted from protestors supporting Kafando and Zida, warning shots were fired, the country’s borders were sealed, flights were canceled, and a curfew was enforced.

Controversial security bill in Japan in last stage

A controversial bill in Japan has continued to build momentum as it heads to the upper house of Parliament for final approval. The bill will expand the role of Japan’s armed forces, allowing Japan to defend its allies overseas even when it is not under attack. The opposition says it will continue to try and delay the vote. The debate committee began to discuss the bill, thousands of protesters rallied outside the parliament in Tokyo. The debates have gotten physical as opposition MPs have tried to grab the chairman’s paperwork and microphone. Despite majorities in both houses, the bills remain controversial. Prime Minister Abe maintains that he will push the bill through and willing to do what it takes, despite taking a hit to his personality. Abe’s government has attempted to be more forceful on national security, partially in response to increasing Chinese advances in the South China Sea and other disputed territories.

Russia reportedly sponsoring cyberespionage

Finnish data security firm, F-secure claims that Russia has been sponsoring cyberespionage in the US, Asia, and Europe for seven years. The report identified a group of hackers called “The Dukes.” The group uses a family of unique malware tools, which steal information by infiltrating computer networks and sending data back to the hackers. Some of the targeted organizations include NATO, foreign ministries in both Turkey and Uganda, and government and political think tanks in the US, Europe, and Central Asia. F-secure’s report was not the first to accuse the Kremlin of cyberespionage. In 2014, US security firm, Symantec reported finding a tool called the Regin, which had been used to obtain information from governments and businesses.

Discover of burned remains of missing Mexican student revives concerns about Mexican Corruption

The burnt remains of a second Mexican student who went missing last year have been identified. The student was one of 43 who disappeared last September while on their way to a protest in the town of Iguala in Guerrero state. While authorities claim that corrupt local police handed the students over to local drug gangs who killed them and burnt the bodies, relatives believe that the killings were orchestrated at higher levels of the Mexican government in response to the student’s political affiliation. An independent investigation has rejected the government’s account, with The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights saying it found no evidence that would lead to the belief that the bodies were burned. The recent discovery is likely to reignite the dispute between Iguala locals and the federal government.

Venezuela extends state of emergency on border crisis

President Maduro has announced that another 10 municipalities will be declared in a state of emergency on the border of Columbia. Under Venezuela’s constitution, a state of emergency can be declared if the security of the country, its citizens, and its institutions are at risk. President Maduro closed the border following an attack by criminals on an anti-smuggling patrol that left three soldiers and a civilian dead last month. The Venezuelan government is struggling with a black market response to socialist policies leading to smugglers transferring some 40 percent of Venezuelan-subsidized goods across the border to Colombia. Following the attack Venezuela forcibly expelled approximately a thousand Colombian citizens from Venezuela, and earlier this week, two Venezuelan fighter jets violated Colombian airspace, over the border. The decision to extend the state of emergency suggests that Venezuela is not prepared to deescalate tensions in the near future.

Middle East Migrants choose Brazil

Brazil is now housing a total of 7,000 migrants from Syria. The Brazilian Embassy in Beirut is now offering right of passage to “refugees of the war in Syria.” Many Syrians now reportedly prefer to fly to Brazil as opposed to spending 3,000 or 4,000 dollars to be smuggled across the sea. President Rousseff recently wrote that Brazil is proud to play its part in alleviating what has become a global crisis, and Brazil has a long history of accepting refugees and migrants. More than 10 million Brazilians are descendants of earlier Syrian and Lebanese immigrants. However Brazil’s lack border control policies have also resulted in substantial terrorism concerns emanating primarily out of the Tri-border region, with Hezbollah and Hamas among the terrorist groups conducting fundraising and material support efforts there.

Other Stories We’re Following:

Middle East

Syrian military using new Russian-supplied weaponry, according to Syrian military source

9 Yemeni civilian casualties in Saudi-led airstrikes targeting Houthis

29 detained, including alleged terrorist, at Hungary’s EU frontier

Less than 10 U.S.-trained Syrian rebels fighting in Syria, according to U.S. General

At least 23 dead in Baghdad bombings targeting police; IS responsible

Africa

At least 3 soldiers killed in al-Shabaab bomb attack in Somalia