US Forces reorganize for IS fight, Iranian leaders denounce Nuke Deal, and Al Shabaab overruns army base…

US Forces reorganize in face of Islamic State resiliency

In a rare public show of cooperation, the CIA and Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) have coordinated their efforts and began drone strike operations against ‘high level’ IS targets in Syria. First, the CIA identifies the targets, and then the JSOC carries out the strikes, with the NSA tasked with disrupting their communications and social media presence. Reflecting the policy change, one of the first killed was Junaid Hussein, who was active on Twitter and other online platforms recruiting for ‘lone wolf’ attacks in the West. While publicaly Syria is a ‘denied area’ for the CIA, meaning it has no acknowledged presence in country, the new directive gives it the authority to identify IS leaders and other jihadists there. While the military continues its operations to ‘degrade and destroy’ IS without much success, this development reflects a change in the way the counter-terrorism strategy is executed.

In other countries where strikes are conducted against Islamic terrorists (Yemen, Afghanistan, and Pakistan for example) the CIA operates autonomously. However, the new directive of cooperation with the JSOC in Syria demonstrates that the goal is to bring all the resources to bear against a resilient organization whose self-declared ‘Caliphate’ is now entering into its second year of existence.

Top Iranian voices denounce nuclear deal and US

In a show of force, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Maj. Gen. Muhammad Ali Jafari, said that the despite the nuclear deal, the United States remains Iran’s number one enemy and that he would seek to expand Iranian missile reach capability. As the country’s top military official and head of the IRGC’s vast business interests both in and out of Iran, his words carry a lot of weight. Other voices of the clerical regime echoed Jafari’s. President Hassan Rouhani said that any violation by Iran of the UN ban on its ballistic missile program would not impact the nuclear deal with the US and other powers. Similarly, Muhammad Yazdi, president of the Assembly of Experts, inaugurated its annual meeting by denouncing the nuclear accord, warning that should not, and would not lead to any wider relationship with the US. Taken together, these remarks paint a clear picture of how the nuclear accord will play out in Tehran: increasing offensive military capabilities while expressing disregard for international agreements.

Conflicting reports on al-Shabab attack in Somalia

Al-Qaeda’s Somali affiliate, al-Shabab reportedly overran an African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) base in the Janale district located in the south of the country. Employing a preliminary suicide bombing followed by a conventional arms assault, the terrorists claim to have taken over the base with a reported 50 Ugandan soldiers killed.

On the other hand, AMISOM spokesman Lt. Colonel Paul Njuguna confirms that al-Shabab did attack the base, but denies that they gained control of it. Although civilian witnesses report that Al-Shabab fighters looted weapons stores inside the base, the AMISOM spokesman maintains that following a tactical withdrawal, the Ugandan troops fought back and were able to recover control. The pattern of attacks by al-Shabab continues unabated, despite the presence of approximately 20,000 troops from nations bordering Somalia and others as part of the UN Security Council mandate. In keeping with their goal of establishing an Islamic government, the terrorist group will undoubtedly continue to step up their attacks against the AMISOM troops and other targets.

Kuwait arrests Hizballah suspects

Kuwait internal security forces arrested 23 suspects, charging them with spying for Hizballah and Iran and plotting to launch attacks. Seizing weapons, ammunition, and explosives, the public prosecutor’s office ordered the suspects to be detained indefinitely, as the investigation into their activities continues. As a major target of the regime in Tehran, Kuwaiti authorities are in a state of alert following the bombing of a Shia mosque in Kuwait City on June 26^th. The detention of these suspects strongly suggests that Iran and its proxy Hizballah are intent on spreading their tactics along the Gulf countries, seeking to undermine the pro-American regimes in the region. Alertness and sound counter-intelligence work from the Kuwaiti security forces will remain vital if they are to inhibit Tehran’s designs and disrupt the next potential terror plot.

Democracy under fire in Burundi

Political violence flared up in the Burundian capital, Bujumbura, following the disputed election of President Pierre Nkurunziza to a third term. Following the example of US counter-terrorism partners in Rwanda and Uganda, who have amended their constitutions so as to allow them to run for election repeatedly, Nkurunziza is the latest leader to exploit the participation in the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in order to fend off criticism of violating democratic norms. From his hometown Ngozi, located in the north of the country, Nkurunziza is warning domestic and exiled opposition to come to terms with his continued rule or face the consequences. Although no group has claimed responsibility for the latest attacks in the capital, it is clear that the opposition will grow bolder, as Nkurunziza’s move violates the terms of the fragile peace which ended Burundi’s civil war ten years ago. While Burundi’s National Assembly Chairman Pascal Nyabenda lays the blame at unidentified external actors, it is more than likely that the internal opposition is leading the attacks. The democratic experiment in Burundi is showing signs of unraveling as the volatile mix of power seeking and civil war wounds manifest once again.

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