Counterterrorism’s Dark Pivot: From Security to Imperial Excuse in Iran and Gaza
The expression Counterterrorism dark pivot is used in diplomatic and legal debate since Ben Saul, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights countering terrorism, warned of it. In early 2026, speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Saul claimed that there is a disturbing shift in the global system that emerged following the […]
Iran Proxies Poised for Europe: Assessing Hamas Threat Post-2026 Escalation
The judgment that Iran Proxies Poised for Europe is a real security issue became urgent when covert U.S. and Israeli attacks damaged infrastructure associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force at the beginning of 2026. The Western intelligence agencies almost immediately reset risk models in non-just ways that concentrated not on the retaliatory […]
War on Terror Vets Face Ultimate Test: Can Green Berets Conquer the Arctic?
War on Terror Vets who were used to rotating on the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan are now being put to the test in one of the toughest places on earth in the Arctic. In early 2026, the U.S. Army Special Forces units are to be engaged in northern Sweden to undergo […]
US counterterrorism efforts in Iraq focus on managing ISIS detainee transfers
America’s top counter-terrorism official, Joe Kent, director of the US National Counter-terrorism Centre (NCTC), spent several days in Baghdad to oversee and support the transfer of ISIS detainees from north-east Syria to Iraqi prisons. The move comes amid heightened security concerns as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) lose territory to Damascus, raising the risk of […]
Counterterrorism or Cover Story? How ‘Safe Haven’ Rhetoric Shapes Sudan Diplomacy?
The expression that Sudan should not be a haven of terrorism has become a byword to diplomatic reactions to the current conflict in the nation, being regarded numerous times by the United Arab Emirates as well as various European allies during 2025. Such counterterrorism safe haven discourse is indicative not only of justified fears of […]
Terror financing and recruitment through social media in fragile Middle Eastern states
Weak Middle States are increasingly experiencing mounting issues to do with financing of terrorism over social media where online platforms are increasingly becoming strategic in supporting extremist groups. In Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Libya, the fragile rule and the extended conflict have allowed the non-state players to find gaps in the digital ecosystem. According to […]
Al-Sharaa’s Hypocrisy: HTS Terror Roots Undermine Syria’s Counter-Terror Critique
Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa entered 2025 with a complex agenda shaped by his past as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the founder of al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate. Now presiding over a post-Assad transition, he has attempted to reframe Syria’s counter-terror positioning while questioning the legitimacy of Western interventions. In a December 2025 interview with Ariana News, al-Sharaa […]
Islamist militancy’s involvement in Yemen’s southern separatist conflict
The southern separatist conflict in Yemen has entered the year 2025 with ever-increasing complexity layers with the Islamist militant groups involved. Although the Southern Transitional Council (STC) continues to be the political organization that promotes independence in the south, they have been replaced by establishments associated with Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and the […]
Sunni jihadist resurgence after strategic setbacks to Iran-led militias
The intricate balance of power in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon changed considerably as the militia led by Iran took a host of strategic hits. The previously established longstanding Tehran regional proxies like the Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl al Haq have been faced with strengthened counteroffensives and internal divisions that break their operational scope. These […]
Israeli Governance and the Challenge of Controlling Settler Extremism in Occupied Territories
The wave of settler extremism in the occupied West Bank remains a challenge to Israeli ability to govern in 2025. It has been quantifiable and observable as the attacks of the Israeli settlers on the Palestinian communities have attained new levels. According to data collected by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, […]