Radicalisation

A new report published by Amnesty International on Monday (13 September), denounces the increasing incidence of children being killed and recruited by armed terrorist groups in Niger, especially in the "three borders" area, where the country shares borders with Burkina Faso and Mali, an area where jihadist attacks have peaked in recent months.

Moscow is interested in intra-Afghan differences being settled with the participation of the entire range of political forces in this country, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council said.

Throughout the world, people on Saturday are marking the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States, and paying tribute to the 2,977 people who lost their lives. President Biden is set to lead commemorations on Saturday and will visit the three attack sites with the first lady, Jill Biden. There will also be six moments of silence to correspond with the times the two World Trade Center towers were struck and fell, and the moments the Pentagon was attacked and Flight 93 crashed.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken are visiting Arab Gulf states where they will meet several leaders. The two US officials are travelling on a separate itinerary which also includes Europe, hoping to build some support after the aftermath of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. The trip will also serve to reassure allies of US support and the rejection of extremism. 

The countries of Central Asia are at an important crossroads. The events in Afghanistan are not going to make their choices either more simple or more easy. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have taken very important steps in the last few years on the path to reform. It is important that they stay the course, and it is important for the EU and other western countries to help them in this task. If possible this should be done without adversarial engagement with either Russia or China, even though are likely to put obstacles in the way. Central Asia does not need another "great game". It needs support so it can develop and evolve for the benefit of its people, and so that the radical elements that have been successful in Afghanistan can be stopped in their stride. 

Very few people had heard of them before, but following the heinous attacks in the last twenty four hours against civilians crowding at the gates of Kabul airport in a desperate attempt to leave the country, everyone is talking about ISIS-K. More than ninety people died in the attacks, and many more were injured.