Al-Shabaab Building in Advance of Somali Elections
The run-up to Somali elections, slated to begin in less than a month, has Somalia watchers concerned that the terrorist group al-Shabaab will seize the […] More
ISIS
Syria: No End In Sight
As the Syrian civil war progresses with no end in sight, Rob Richer, former Associate Deputy Director for Operations at the CIA and member of […] More
Turkish Moves in Syria Show Policy Shift & Politicking
A fresh wave of Turkish tanks rolled into Syria yesterday, in an effort to both fight the Islamic State (also known as ISIS or ISIL) […] More
The Tumultuous Transition
As Tunisia nears the sixth year of its 2011 popular revolution, the most challenging question is whether these massive protests led to a real change […] More
Facing the New Reality of Homegrown Terrorism
“If you know the enemy and know yourself,” Sun Tzu once wrote, “you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.” When it comes […] More
The Islamic State's West Africa Province
A key moment on the Boko Haram timeline occurred in March 2015, when the group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS). According to Dr. […] More
Civil War Within Nigerian Islam
There is a leadership struggle underway within Boko Haram, the violent, extremist movement that has claimed more than 20,000 lives since 2011 and destabilized the […] More
Singapore Boosts Security in the Face of ISIS Threat
As officials in Singapore step up their warnings that the island city-state is a top terrorist target, the global business and finance hub has unveiled […] More
Russian Use of Iranian Airbase Comes to an Abrupt End
Last week, the world learned of the unprecedented revelation that Russia was using Iran’s Hamadan military base to launch strikes into Syria. This week, that […] More
Trump's Plan to Defeat ISIS: Not Illegitimate, but Unwise
Donald Trump made what was billed as a major speech on his strategy against ISIS earlier this week in Ohio. It was actually an important […] More
Is the Islamic State on the ropes in Afghanistan?
The death of the leader of the Islamic State in Afghanistan last month was another damaging blow to the hardline group seeking to usurp authority […] More
ISIS' Chemical Weapon Use: A Serious Threat On The Rise
With the world watching, ISIS deployed chemical weapons in the Iraqi towns of Sinjar and Taza in February and March of 2016, respectively. Since gaining […] More
Mounting Security Challenges in Afghanistan
With Taliban and ISIS attacks occurring in Afghanistan almost daily, questions surrounding the direction of the country’s security apparatus loom large. Despite U.S. President Barack […] More
Not All of the News is Bad
As the Taliban and ISIS continue to launch attacks across Afghanistan, U.S. and Afghan forces face the daunting task of bringing stability to one of […] More
Far From Achieving Strategic Objectives
The Cipher Brief spoke with Congressman Will Hurd of Texas about the increasing security challenges in Afghanistan. According to Hurd, U.S. objectives in Afghanistan have […] More
Renewed Push Against ISIS in Libya
With coalition forces concentrating efforts against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, the militant group continues to fester in Libya with the government struggling to battle […] More
The Private Sector Role in Countering Violent Extremism
As government efforts to challenge terrorist propaganda online are often met with distrust by the very people they are trying to reach, the private sector […] More
France’s Challenge: Fighting Terror
When Father Jacques Hamel was brutally killed at his church in northern France this week, the religious community came together, demanding greater protection. The French […] More