Islamist militants continue to target and raze Christian villages in the Sahel

Within less than 24 hours, Islamic militants killed 27 civilians, some of whom were burned alive, in three attacks on predominately Christian farming villages in central Mali, local officials recently reported. Communal violence has plagued the West African country in recent years, as Fulani herders, their traditional grazing lands drying up from climate change, have […]

Breaking: French Spec Ops kill the head of al-Qaeda in Mali & capture ISIS Leader

In the past few days, the French military successfully conducted two key operations in the Sahel, killing one terrorist group leader and capturing another. French forces killed a senior al-Qaeda leader in an operation in northern Mali near the Algerian border on Wednesday. According to France’s Armed Forces Minister, Florence Parly, they had been hunting […]

Russia beefs up its military presence in northeast Syria

Amid reports of further standoffs between American and Russian troops in northeast Syria, outside of the city of Derik near the Turkish and Iraqi borders, comes more evidence that the Russians are trying to beef up their military presence in the area by building a base in the Kurdish-controlled territory. The U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for […]

Senior Officer Who Approved Niger Ambush Mission Gets Denied General rank

Following the deadly 2017 Niger ambush that resulted in the loss of four U.S. Special Forces troops, Colonel Bradley D. Moses, who approved the ill-fated mission, has been permanently removed from the promotion list to Brigadier General, highlighting the ongoing scrutiny and accountability faced by officers involved in the operation.

Trump wants troops out of Afghanistan by election day

According to sources first referenced by the New York Times, senior military officials are going to brief President Trump, in the very near future, on several possible timelines for completely withdrawing American military forces from Afghanistan. The military is looking at one proposal, which is thought to be the president’s wish, for a complete withdrawal […]

Why the US will never fully back an independent Kurdistan

The ongoing ethnic and religious strife in Iraq creates an opportunity for Kurdish nationalists to realize their aspirations and declare independence. Although the Kurds are a nation with a common culture, a shared identity, and have civic organizations that pursue nationalistic-type goals, they still do not have an internationally recognized state. And as we shall […]

In a landmark move, two African militaries jointly raid terrorist base

In the first joint operation between the two countries, troops from Burkina Faso and the Ivory Coast have taken out an Islamic jihadist military base in Alidougou in southern Burkina Faso. The attack was part of Operation “Comoe,” an ongoing effort to stop the spread of Islamic terror that is gripping the region. Operation “Comoe” […]

How 9/11 Changed the Way the Federal Government Manages Crises

Though discussion over whether protection or emergency management should receive fiscal priority has been ongoing for many years, reforms in response to 9/11 changed the whole debate. Following the 9/11 terror attacks, the administration of George W. Bush, with the permission of Congress, defined presidential disaster declaration authority as a national security instrument, thus drastically […]

Defeating terrorism in the Sahel requires all facets of government

Several interconnected conflicts are raging in several countries in the Sahel region of Africa. And yet for much of the world, this hasn’t registered as either noteworthy or very important. But it is, and not just to the countries involved. Just in 2019 alone, over 4,000 people were killed in terror attacks in the Sahel.  […]

Terrorists still number 1 on Special Operations Command’s target deck

Army Gen. Richard D. Clarke, the commander of SOCOM, addressed attendees virtually on last Tuesday during the Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC). He stated that the number one priority for SOCOM operators remains the countering of Violent Extremist Organizations (VEOs). He emphasized that extremism is a “generational issue.” Nevertheless, General Clarke, speaking to the […]