Tag "Al Qaeda"

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Middle East/North Africa Security

Will Al-Qaeda groups cooperate with Islamic State?

The terrorist attacks that occurred in Paris from January 7th to January 9th have shocked Europe and the world. These attacks bore a specificity that underscores a new tendency in

Economics Middle East/North Africa

Economic woes fuel the conflict in Yemen

Conflict in Yemen continues this week as Houthi rebels seek to overthrow President Hadi’s Western-aligned government, threatening an already fragile security environment. Economic woes play a major role in shaping

Security Sub-Saharan Africa

Boko Haram poses threat to Nigeria’s stability

Boko Haram, fuelled initially by economic grievances, has vowed to destroy southern Nigeria’s Westernized economy, insisting that northern Nigeria hardly benefits from the roughly $50 billion a year the south receives

Middle East/North Africa Security

Islamic State takes advantage of cash economies in Iraq and Syria

Backed by hundreds of millions of dollars in locally generated funding, the Islamic State has reaped the benefits of cash-driven economies in Iraq and Syria. The US-led military campaign must

Middle East/North Africa Security

New terror threat from the Khorasan Group?

While international attention has focused on the atrocities of the Islamic State (IS) and the response of the US-led alliance against IS, the Pentagon recently introduced a new group called “Khorasan.” Here is a

Security South and Central Asia

Al-Qaeda will reignite sectarian conflict in Sri Lanka

al-Qaeda’s spread into South Asia will encourage both significant ramp-up of security and possibly further marginalization of Muslim populations, leaving an already fragile society susceptible to sectarian divide and conflict. In early

Economics Middle East/North Africa

Islamic State reshapes Syria’s war economy

In the Syrian conflict, all sides had developed a stake in maintaining a war economy. With the emergence of the Islamic State (IS), which controls a third of Syria’s territory, the

Middle East/North Africa Politics

Can the Islamic State become a legitimate state?

The Islamic State (IS) has made swift gains in Iraq and Syria, has established a self-claimed Caliphate, and has asserted it is abolishing borders. But can it achieve its goals and create

Middle East/North Africa Security

ISIL in Iraq Series: What is in it for Iran?

ISIL’s recent territorial gains pose a significant threat to the security and stability of Iraq and its neighbors. For Iran, however, ISIL threatens to topple its most significant regional trading

Security Sub-Saharan Africa

Despite repercussions, Boko Haram threat will persist

Rooted in poor governance, rampant unemployment and transnational links, Boko Haram may pay for its latest senseless act of predation. But its prospects, unfortunately, are bright. Boko Haram is known for