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Showing posts from March, 2025

Tajik Islamic State-Supportive Media House Shares Video of Toddler Praising Islamic State

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Content Warning: This article contains descriptions of children in war and terrorism, and may be upsetting to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.  Screenshot from Asror Media (Tajik Islamic State-Supportive media house) video of toddler praising Islamic State Bottom Line Up Front On 20 July 2026, a Tajik Islamic State-Supportive Media House, Asror Media, shared a video showing a toddler praising Islamic State, its fighters, and martyrs. The child speaks in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and is dressed in a T-shirt. The toddler appears no older than three and it looks like the video was filmed in a clothing store. A black piece of material with white writing on it is visible in the background of the video. The IS flag also has white writing on a black background. The writing system seen on the piece of material has features that indicate it could be Nastaliq, a form of Arabic calligraphy used for languages on the Persian Language Continuum, of which Tajik is one.  The vi...
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The Implications of SADC Troop Withdrawal from Eastern Congo on Regional Stability

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                                                                    Photo credits: The Chronicle ZW The withdrawal of SADC troops from the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) represents a significant turning point in the conflict dynamics within the region. SADC's military intervention, which has for years remained at the core of containing the activities of armed militias and supporting the government of the DRC. The withdrawal of these troops raises pressing questions about the future of regional stability, security governance, and the broader implications for the DRC and its neighbours. The rationale behind this withdrawal, the immediate security void that it creates, and the potential for increased conflict are all paramount in ascertaining the long-term stability of the region. The SADC and EAC Foreign Minis...
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JNIM

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JNIM Fighters in the Sahel. Photo credits: Long War Journal Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), al-Qaeda's most formidable African affiliate, has evolved into a sophisticated hybrid threat across the Sahel, effectively combining guerrilla warfare,  economic exploitation, and community co-option, generating an estimated annual revenue exceeding $100 million from illicit activities,  and achieving a battlefield lethality surpassing regional military capabilities to control territories larger than Belgium;  this short analysis, drawing upon classified intelligence, defector accounts, and field observations, examines JNIM’s structure and development,  revealing an ideological shift from global jihad to localised legitimacy under Iyad Ag Ghaly, wherein the group strategically exploits ethnic grievances, climate vulnerabilities,  and anti-colonial sentiment, as evidenced by their 2023 "Charter of the Sahel" aiming for an "Islamic...
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