Tag Archives: Islamic State

U.S. Airstrikes Against Al-Shabaab and the Islamic State in Somalia

From November 11th to November 12th the United States carried out three air strikes Somalia against al-Shabaab and Islamic State within 24 hours. In the airstrikes which were carried out in coordination with the Somali government, killing 81 suspected terrorists.

The first strike was carried out near Gaduud which is about 250 miles south west from Mogadishu on Saturday. The second strike occurred at 3am the next day in the lower Shabelle region about 40 miles from Mogadishu and the third strike occurred in the northern Puntland area at about 9 am, targeting the Islamic State.

The Islamic State emerged in Somalia over the past two years and many of the fighters have come from the al-Shabaab group. This is the second air strike specifically targeting the IS in Somalia this year, the first airstrike was carried out earlier in November against IS targeting a growing cell in northern Puntland.

There are roughly 200 IS members in Puntland, which coordinates with IS forces in Yemen. According to UN Documents at least one shipment of small arms was delivered to the IS fighters from Yemen.

The three airstrikes were prompted after several attacks in the past two months. The first was an al-Shabaab raid on the Somali Bala Gaduud military base in the southern port town of Kismayo that took place on September 2nd and left 20 Somali personnel dead. During this attack al-Shabaab seized significant numbers of weapons and equipment including mortars, machine guns, and AK-47s assault rifles.  The second was when al-Shabaab attacked a convoy of U.S. and Somali troops, however, it resulted in no personnel being killed or wounded.

The United States currently has about 500 troops in Somalia including special operations forces working as advisers to the Somali forces.

The United States has now carried out 26 targeted attacks in Somalia in 2017.

The Trump administration approved expanding military operations  against the terror group in Somalia in March of 2017. The U.S. military is permitted to aggressively target al-Shabaab in cooperation with the Somali government. Restrictions were removed on U.S. targeting and U.S. troops are permitted to assist Somali forces in offensive raids.

Previously under the Obama administration the military was not permitted to conduct airstrikes against the terror group unless the African Union or Somali government troops were specifically coming under attack.

With the increase of airstrikes on the Islamic State and al-Shabaab the U.S. counterterrorism initiative has stepped up to increase military aid to the Somalia government hopefully to stop the growth of the terror groups.

Iran Seeks to Stir Regional Conflict with Saudis in Yemen and Lebanon

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on November 9th advised its citizens to not travel to Lebanon  as well as asked those already in Lebanon to leave the country as soon as possible following escalating tension as Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned on November 4th, in a speech delivered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Bahrain ordered its citizens to leave Lebanon immediately following the Hariri speech on November 5th.

Hariri said in the speech that his sudden resignation was the result of feeling threatened for his life. In his statement Hariri commented that “Hezbollah should be disarmed and wherever Iran interfered in the Middle East, there was chaos.”

On November 10th Hezbollah’s leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said that Saudi Arabia declared war on Lebanon and Hezbollah, and accused Riyadh of detaining and forcing Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri to resign. In his statement he also said that “officials have declared war on Lebanon and Hezbollah.”

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned other counties and groups against using Lebanon as a vehicle for a larger proxy war. Tillerson also stated that Washington strongly backed Lebanon’s independence and respected PM Hariri as a partner of the U.S. Tillerson also stated that there was no indication that Hariri was being held captive in Saudi Arabia against his will.

On the same day as Hariri’s speech on November 4th, Saudi Arabia accused Iranian-backed Houthi rebels across the border in Yemen of firing a ballistic missile at the airport in Riyadh.. The ballistic missile was intercepted by the Saudi missile defenses before it could cause any damage or casualties.  Saudi Arabia accused Iran of “direct military aggression” and called the missile attack an “act of war.”

Following the missile launch Saudi Arabia tightened its blockade on Yemen, ordering all Yemeni ports to close and grounded all humanitarian flights from receiving aid.

The Iranian government has been supplying missiles to the Houthis, during the civil war, which has served as proxy conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Iran has sent advisers to train Houthi units and provide logistical support as part of an effort to increase influence. The Iranian Revolution Guard Corps is also believed to have transferred rocket and missile capabilities to the Houthis. The war has resulted in over 10,000 deaths to civilians, triggered a cholera outbreak affecting nearly a million people as well as allowed for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) to flourish in the area. Additionally, the Islamic State has also resurged in central  Yemen where Sunni tribal and AQAP are fighting the Iranian backed Houthis.

Hezbollah has also backed the Houthi rebels through the proxy war through military training and growing support, by making the group dependent on Iran.  Additionally, the leader of the Houthis, Abdul Malik Badreddine al Houthi vowed  to fight in any future conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, supporting the terrorists.

As Saudi Arabia undergoes a major internal shake up triggered as part of a major corruption probe, Iran seeks to stir up regional conflicts. Through its proxies, the Iranians have weaved it way through the crippled governments of both Yemen and Lebanon. Growing influence from Hezbollah is also something that cannot be ignored. The Saudis need to pay close attention to Iran, and find ways to check Iranian expansion, while avoiding direct conflict.

Anti-Terror Raids in France

French and Swiss police anti-terror raids in the greater Paris region of Île-de-France and the Provence Alpes-Côtes-d’Azur region of the south east on November 7th resulted in nine people arrested in France  and one in Switzerland, on charges of suspected participation in a terrorist plot and communication with either Islamic State or al-Qaeda.

The suspects are reported to be between the ages of 18 and 65, with two of them siblings, however, none of the identities of the individuals were released.  Of the individuals, several reportedly converted to Islam and one had previously been placed on a watchlist.

The raid was carried out by the police of the Antiterrorist Sub-Directorate (SDAT), the Interregional Direction of the Judicial Police of Marseilles and the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI).

Earlier in July, French police were focused on suspicious activity  by a person in Switzerland using a Telegram network. The chief suspect, a 28-year-old Swiss Imam, was allegedly communicating with individuals in France, including with a 14-year-old boy who was “about to carry out the attack.”

The boy was arrested on June 20th and charged by an anti-terror judge, while the Swiss Imam was arrested in Switzerland during the terror raid on November 7th.

The city of Nice appeared to be the location of the planned attack, however, their plot was not fully developed according to a French official.

Nice was the site of the 2016 Bastille Day terror attack, when Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel plowed a 20-ton truck into a crowd during the celebration. The attack killed 87 and injured around 300 individuals. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

Searches are still underway for more individuals in the Paris suburbs and in southeastern France bordering Switzerland and Italy.

After the 2015 terror Bataclan attack in Paris killed 130 people and wounded hundreds, France declared an immediate state of emergency. From the 2015 Paris attack to today, a total of 278 people have been killed in terrorist incidents in France.

Due to the increased terror threat,  the French parliament on October 3rd approved an  anti-terrorism bill, which ended the state of emergency imposed in 2015 but made many of the anti-terror policing powers from the state of emergency permanent.

Of these provisions include that authorities can search property without a warrant, put terrorist suspects under house arrest and shut down places of worship linked to terrorism. The new legislation has very limited judicial oversight so that the Interior Ministry can carry out these provisions without approval from a judge.

Since 2015, more than a million migrants and refugees have come from the Middle East and North Africa seeking refuge in Europe. Data shows that across Western Europe there has been a sharp increase  in terror attacks from 2 attacks occurring in 2014 to 30 attacks in 2016. These attacks can be attributed toEurope’s large and poorly integrated Muslim population, proximity to unstable regions like the Middle East and North Africa, and the weak border security of the EU. The French government by enabling the anti-terrorism bill, will help mitigate some of these attacks, however, there also needs to be more focus on the prevention of the spread of jihad at a local level.

With the amount of terror attacks occurring in Europe, it is clear that the EU needs to tighten the grip on counter terrorism and immigration policy due to the increased terror threat in the recent years. France has begun to do this, although the severity of the counterterrorism measures, seen through the passage of the anti-terrorism act, is a reflection of the dire situation French security forces currently face.

Anti-Terror Raids in France

French and Swiss police anti-terror raids in the greater Paris region of Île-de-France and the Provence Alpes-Côtes-d’Azur region of the south east on November 7th resulted in nine people arrested in France  and one in Switzerland, on charges of suspected participation in a terrorist plot and communication with either Islamic State or al-Qaeda.

The suspects are reported to be between the ages of 18 and 65, with two of them siblings, however, none of the identities of the individuals were released.  Of the individuals, several reportedly converted to Islam and one had previously been placed on a watchlist.

The raid was carried out by the police of the Antiterrorist Sub-Directorate (SDAT), the Interregional Direction of the Judicial Police of Marseilles and the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI).

Earlier in July, French police were focused on suspicious activity  by a person in Switzerland using a Telegram network. The chief suspect, a 28-year-old Swiss Imam, was allegedly communicating with individuals in France, including with a 14-year-old boy who was “about to carry out the attack.”

The boy was arrested on June 20th and charged by an anti-terror judge, while the Swiss Imam was arrested in Switzerland during the terror raid on November 7th.

The city of Nice appeared to be the location of the planned attack, however, their plot was not fully developed according to a French official.

Nice was the site of the 2016 Bastille Day terror attack, when Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel plowed a 20-ton truck into a crowd during the celebration. The attack killed 87 and injured around 300 individuals. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

Searches are still underway for more individuals in the Paris suburbs and in southeastern France bordering Switzerland and Italy.

After the 2015 terror Bataclan attack in Paris killed 130 people and wounded hundreds, France declared an immediate state of emergency. From the 2015 Paris attack to today, a total of 278 people have been killed in terrorist incidents in France.

Due to the increased terror threat,  the French parliament on October 3rd approved an  anti-terrorism bill, which ended the state of emergency imposed in 2015 but made many of the anti-terror policing powers from the state of emergency permanent.

Of these provisions include that authorities can search property without a warrant, put terrorist suspects under house arrest and shut down places of worship linked to terrorism. The new legislation has very limited judicial oversight so that the Interior Ministry can carry out these provisions without approval from a judge.

Since 2015, more than a million migrants and refugees have come from the Middle East and North Africa seeking refuge in Europe. Data shows that across Western Europe there has been a sharp increase  in terror attacks from 2 attacks occurring in 2014 to 30 attacks in 2016. These attacks can be attributed toEurope’s large and poorly integrated Muslim population, proximity to unstable regions like the Middle East and North Africa, and the weak border security of the EU. The French government by enabling the anti-terrorism bill, will help mitigate some of these attacks, however, there also needs to be more focus on the prevention of the spread of jihad at a local level.

With the amount of terror attacks occurring in Europe, it is clear that the EU needs to tighten the grip on counter terrorism and immigration policy due to the increased terror threat in the recent years. France has begun to do this, although the severity of the counterterrorism measures, seen through the passage of the anti-terrorism act, is a reflection of the dire situation French security forces currently face.

First U.S. Airstrikes on Islamic State in Somalia

The U.S. conducted its first airstrikes against Islamic State in northeastern Somalia killing several terrorists on November 3rd.

The first strike occurred at approximately midnight local Somali time and the second strike occurred separately at approximately 11 a.m. local time. While the U.S. said it was still assessing the results of the strikes, several missiles hit a base for IS fighters at Buqa village, 60 kilometers south of Qandala.

On November 4th, the U.S. diplomatic mission in Somalia directed all non-essential staff to leave the capital Mogadishu, saying it had received a threat on U.S. personnel on the Mogadishu International Airport. The State Department also urged U.S. citizens who decide to remain in Somalia to be vigilant.

The U.S. hasn’t had an embassy in Somalia since 1991 and calls the security situation “extremely unstable” but maintains the U.S. Mission to Somalia which is based in Kenya.

The Islamic State in Somalia is led by Sheikh Abdulkadir Mumin, who was a former al-Shabaab official before defecting to pledge allegiance to Islamic State in 2015. In October 2016, IS briefly seized Qandala before they were driven out by Puntland’s government two months later.

The group is largely based in the Golis and Bari mountains of northern Somalia. In May, IS claimed responsibility for a suicide attack in northern Somalia in an attempt to vie with al-Shabaab for recognition. The suicide bomber blew himself up at a police checkpoint, killing 5 civilians and wounding 12.

Reports from Somalia suggest IS has been recruiting members in the region since it became active in 2015, but the scale of its activities is far smaller than that of al-Shabaab.

Islamic State lags behind Al-Shabaab, Somalia’s main Islamist group, in terms of size and influence in the country. Al-Shabaab, which has ties to Al-Qaeda, has carried out dozens of bombings this year, and is believed to have carried out the double truck bombing on October 17th which killed 358 civilians.

The leadership of IS in the Middle East has attempted to get Al-Shabaab to switch allegiances but Al-Shabaab’s chiefs have rejected the advances, threatening to hunt down and kill any members who defect or seek to defect to the Islamic State.

Prior U.S. airstrikes in Somalia have focused exclusively on al-Shabaab, with 15 recorded strikes in 2017. This was the first time the U.S. struck IS in Somalia.

In March, President Trump approved enhanced authority for U.S. forces to target al-Shabaab, and other insurgent groups operating in Somalia in offensive strikes.

The strikes on IS may suggest that the U.S. is further expanding its counterterrorism efforts in Somalia, focusing on groups other than al-Shabaab. The U.S. has not established a plan though to further counter the terrorism in Somalia.

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) says it will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to disable terrorist threats, working with the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali National Security Forces (SNSF) to target terrorists, their training camps and safe havens throughout Somalia, the region and around the world.

First U.S. Airstrikes on Islamic State in Somalia

The U.S. conducted its first airstrikes against Islamic State in northeastern Somalia killing several terrorists on November 3rd.

The first strike occurred at approximately midnight local Somali time and the second strike occurred separately at approximately 11 a.m. local time. While the U.S. said it was still assessing the results of the strikes, several missiles hit a base for IS fighters at Buqa village, 60 kilometers south of Qandala.

On November 4th, the U.S. diplomatic mission in Somalia directed all non-essential staff to leave the capital Mogadishu, saying it had received a threat on U.S. personnel on the Mogadishu International Airport. The State Department also urged U.S. citizens who decide to remain in Somalia to be vigilant.

The U.S. hasn’t had an embassy in Somalia since 1991 and calls the security situation “extremely unstable” but maintains the U.S. Mission to Somalia which is based in Kenya.

The Islamic State in Somalia is led by Sheikh Abdulkadir Mumin, who was a former al-Shabaab official before defecting to pledge allegiance to Islamic State in 2015. In October 2016, IS briefly seized Qandala before they were driven out by Puntland’s government two months later.

The group is largely based in the Golis and Bari mountains of northern Somalia. In May, IS claimed responsibility for a suicide attack in northern Somalia in an attempt to vie with al-Shabaab for recognition. The suicide bomber blew himself up at a police checkpoint, killing 5 civilians and wounding 12.

Reports from Somalia suggest IS has been recruiting members in the region since it became active in 2015, but the scale of its activities is far smaller than that of al-Shabaab.

Islamic State lags behind Al-Shabaab, Somalia’s main Islamist group, in terms of size and influence in the country. Al-Shabaab, which has ties to Al-Qaeda, has carried out dozens of bombings this year, and is believed to have carried out the double truck bombing on October 17th which killed 358 civilians.

The leadership of IS in the Middle East has attempted to get Al-Shabaab to switch allegiances but Al-Shabaab’s chiefs have rejected the advances, threatening to hunt down and kill any members who defect or seek to defect to the Islamic State.

Prior U.S. airstrikes in Somalia have focused exclusively on al-Shabaab, with 15 recorded strikes in 2017. This was the first time the U.S. struck IS in Somalia.

In March, President Trump approved enhanced authority for U.S. forces to target al-Shabaab, and other insurgent groups operating in Somalia in offensive strikes.

The strikes on IS may suggest that the U.S. is further expanding its counterterrorism efforts in Somalia, focusing on groups other than al-Shabaab. The U.S. has not established a plan though to further counter the terrorism in Somalia.

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) says it will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to disable terrorist threats, working with the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali National Security Forces (SNSF) to target terrorists, their training camps and safe havens throughout Somalia, the region and around the world.

Syrian Army Recaptures Deir ez-Zor City from Islamic State

On November 3rd, the Syrian Army (SAA) and its allies recaptured Deir ez-Zor city from Islamic State, which was the group’s last stronghold in Syria.

The group still controls about 40 percent of Deir ez-Zor province, and the last significant town being held by Islamic State is Abu Kamal, near the Iraqi border in eastern Syria.

On the Iraqi side, Iraqi forces have entered al-Qaim in an offensive to recapture al-Qaim and Rawa from IS. Iraq’s security forces retook a border crossing on the highway between al-Qaim and Abu Kamal from IS fighters, hours after entering al-Qaim.

Deir ez-Zor had been almost entirely controlled by IS since 2014 and the campaign to retake the city began in September, when the Syrian army managed to break the three year siege of the city.

Two separate campaigns began, with the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on the eastern side of the Euphrates River, and the Syrian Army, the Russian and Iranian military and Hezbollah working in conjunction on the other side of the river, to take back Deir ez-Zor from IS.

Deir ez-Zor is a key city because of its oil-rich territory and because it shares a border with Iraq which allowed IS fighters, weapons and goods to travel between the Syria and Iraq.

Raqqa was the other remaining IS stronghold with the group claiming it as the de-facto capital. On October 17th, SDF defeated IS after a four-month battle for the city.

IS has suffered a series of defeats in recent months to Iraqi government forces, who are advancing along the Euphrates river on the other side of the border. Iraqi forces retook Mosul in July, which was proclaimed the IS capital in Iraq in 2014.

Islamic State has lost more than 90 percent of the territory it once held in Iraq and Syria at the height of its power in 2014 and 2015.

U.S. forces have estimated that there are 1,500-2,500 fighters left in al-Qaim and 2,000-3,000 in Albu Kamal.

Russia wants to see the Syrian government take back all of its territory and Iran wants the Syrian government to control the area so a land route linking Iran and Lebanon can be established.

SDF wants to seize as much territory as possible to increase its chances of defending against a government takeover of the areas it holds, including Raqqa and other areas in the northeast where it has gained a measure of autonomy. The U.S. who has backed the SDF, wants to defeat IS and also counter Iranian influence in the region.

SDF hopes for negotiations that will support their autonomy in northern Syria but the Syrian government is asserting its claim to areas captured by the SDF from IS.

On October 29th, the Syrian government declared Islamic State’s former capital Raqqa would be considered occupied until the Syrian army takes control. This may lead to new confrontation that could draw the U.S. in more deeply, as it helped SDF capture Raqqa.

The U.S. has not stated how military support for the SDF will evolve after Islamic State’s defeat because the U.S. has been very adamant that its only goal in the region is to defeat IS.

McMaster Should Not Be Surprised Over Turncoat Iran

Originally published on Newsmax

While official Washington is preoccupied with a special counsel’s selective pursuit of allegations of collusion with Russia, the far-reaching consequences of what amounts to ongoing U.S. collusion with Iran are going unaddressed.

In his single-minded pursuit of the destruction of the Islamic State, National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster has effectively aligned us with the mullahs in Tehran. American troops on the ground have wound up enabling the advance of Shiite Iraqi units dominated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps; our warplanes have amounted to their air force.

McMaster has belatedly expressed unhappiness that Iran and its proxies have turned on America’s allies in Kurdish areas of Iraq. By failing to anticipate that outcome, to say nothing of equipping the Kurds to prevent it, he has helped Iran consolidate its position throughout the region — with extremely ominous implications for people there and here.

Suicide Bomber in Kabul Kills 5, Near the U.S. Embassy

A suicide bomber in Afghanistan killed five people and wounded at least 20 others, near the U.S. embassy in Kabul on October 31st. The area which the attack occurred was in a “Green Zone” within an area which held many diplomatic offices.  The bomber was believed to be a young as 12 wearing a suicide vest, and reportedly carried out the attack on foot. The attack was claimed by the Islamic State.

Reportedly the bomber “made it through the first checkpoint but was stopped at the second checkpoint and detonated” said an Afghan ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri.

The specific target of the attack was not clear, however, the area has multiple foreign embassies, as well as the Afghan Defense Ministry department, and several private businesses.

It was the first attack targeting the Afghan capital’s “Green Zone” since a massive truck bomb  drove through the area and detonated on May 31st, which killed at least 150 and wounded 300 others.  That attack was believed to be carried out by the Haqqani network, a Taliban group which operates out of Pakistan, and prompted authorities to strengthen protection at the checkpoints.

Following the attack, the Afghan government installed scanning machines, truck barriers and dozens of checkpoints to prevent terrorists from reaching the diplomatic and downtown areas.

The increase security has worked in some regards because earlier in October, the Kabul police stopped a truck which was carrying almost 6,000 pounds of explosives and averted a potentially deadly blast.

However, even with increased security several other attacks occurred in October, which included two separate mosque attacks on October 19th which combined killed more than 60 people killed and dozens of others. One of the attacks was on a Sunni mosque and was never claimed by the Islamic State or the Taliban, but the other attack on the Shia Mosque was claimed by the Islamic State.  Additionally, on October 21st a Taliban suicide bomber killed 15 Afghan Army cadets targeting a bus they were driving in through Kabul.

Despite security precautions, the Islamic State and the Taliban have increased the amount of territory they influence in Afghanistan. As of August 2017, the Taliban controls 13 districts and influences 42 of Afghanistan’s 407.  The Afghan government controls 74 and influences 157. However, there are many contested between the two. The Islamic State influences significantly less territory than the Taliban, however, their presence is mostly spread out through the eastern Nangarhar province.

President Trump on August 21st made a speech on the 16 years of American involvement in Afghanistan, and additionally on October 23rd Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan to discuss  strategies with South Asian  leaders.

Despite the proclaimed U.S. shift in strategy  there’s been no significant change in the number of attacks from either  the Islamic State or the Taliban. It is unlikely that either group will be deterred or interested in engaging in negotiations. Even with the Afghan Defense Ministry’s increased security at checkpoints, attacks will still get through, as long as terror groups have substantial territory in which to plan and prepare attacks.

U.S. and Arab States Target Individuals for Financing Terrorism in Yemen

The U.S. and several Arab states jointly designated several individuals and organizations accused of financing and supporting al-Qaeda and Islamic State (IS) in Yemen.

The U.S. was backed by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Qatar.

The designations came down through the newly inaugurated Terrorist Financing Targeting Center. Under these sanctions, all assets of the targeted individuals subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. citizens are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. The sanctions also prohibit them from traveling to the U.S. and the Gulf member countries that contribute to the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center.

In May, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to create the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC), in an attempt to confront new and evolving threats arising from terrorist financing. The U.S. and Saudi Arabia are the co-chairs of the center, with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE as members.

The U.S. imposed the new sanctions on eight individuals and a business affiliated with the Islamic State in Yemen and with Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Among the individuals targeted was Abu Sulayman al-Adani, who has been the head of Islamic State’s Yemen affiliate since 2013. Al Khayr Supermarket was targeted in the sanctions for being owned by Sayf Abdulrab Salem al-Hayashi, a weapons dealer for IS and AQAP.

In addition, the Gulf States also designated Nayif Salih Salim al-Qaysi, Abd al-Wahhab Muhammad Abd al-Rahman al-Humayqani, Hashim Muhsin Aydarus al-Hamid, and Rahmah Charitable Organization for allegedly supporting AQAP’s operations.

Over the past few years, the U.S. and the Gulf States have worked together to strengthen cooperation on countering the financing of terrorism. Information sharing, regular high-level and expert-level engagement, and joint disruptive actions have played a major role in countering terrorism in the region.

These new sanctions are the first joint sanctions action by the U.S. and Gulf states since the establishment of the TFTC back in May.

In June, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, along with Egypt severed travel, trade and diplomatic ties to Qatar, accusing Qatar of supporting terrorist groups. The four countries also placed 59 individuals and 12 organizations that were Qatar-based or funded by Qatar on a list for links to terrorism. Several of those designated by the TFTC were previously on the Qatar-based list.

In July, Qatar signed an agreement with the US on intelligence and finance cooperation in tackling terrorism. Qatar has denied the accusations from the other Gulf States and claims commitment to fighting extremism saying it has strengthened its anti-terrorism finance laws. Qatar’s ability or willingness to uphold terror finance agreements has been a source conflict with U.S. officials.

The U.S. has been attempting to ease tensions between the Gulf States and the new sanctions are the first time since June that the Gulf countries have worked together.