Hoplite Group

#Azerbaijan - Leading Azerbaijani Opposition Figure Missing After Raids By Security Services - Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Azerbaijani authorities detained the leader of the country's main opposition party after raiding his apartment, party officials said. Ali Karimli's whereabouts were unclear on November 30, a day after the search at his Baku home, according to the Popular Front Party. Other officials with the party, known as AXCP, also reported their residences searched and had also gone missing. Turan Ibrahim, whose father Mammad serves as a member of the party's presidium, said in a post on Facebook that more than a dozen security agents searched his father's house, seizing his phone and computer and took him to undisclosed locations. Several other party members posted claims of harassment and surveillance on social media. In Turkey, meanwhile, security forces detained Gultekin Hajibeyli, another Azerbaijani democracy activist, who is a member of the Coordinating Center of the National Council of Democratic Forces. Hajibayli told RFE/RL late on November 28 that she had been taken to a detention center in Istanbul. Her colleagues later said they were unable to locate her or get further information about her whereabouts. Pro-government and other media reported that she was expected to be deported to Azerbaijan. The State Security Service and the Interior Ministry did not respond to queries from RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service. Karimli's arrest and the search of his apartment was related to an unspecified criminal case, pro-government media in Baku reported. Reuters, citing unnamed Azerbaijani government official, said Karimli's detention was linked to an ongoing criminal case against Ramiz Mehdiyev, a longtime ally of the late President Heydar Aliyev, who led Azerbaijan until shortly before his death in 2003. Heydar's son, Ilham, took over the presidency shortly before his father's death. Since then, he has systematically suppressed dissent by detaining independent journalists, opposition figures, and civil society activists. The country's authorities have insisted that fundamental freedoms are protected in the country and that people are not persecuted for their critical positions and political activities. AXCP posted a statement alleging that Karimli's interviews with foreign media have "alarmed the Ilham Aliyev regime," it said. "In a situation where political activity is almost completely banned in the country, and civil liberties are severely restricted, this operation is the next step toward further intensification of political repression," the statement said. “The goal of tying these arrests to Ramiz Mehdiyev is to damage Ali Karimli’s reputation. They worked with Mehdiyev for nearly 30 years themselves. These accusations do not stick to us," Seymur Hazi, a deputy party chairman, told RFE/RL. https://lnkd.in/e_5tgeH7

#Somalia - The number of U.S. airstrikes against jihadi terrorists in Somalia has increased more than tenfold under the Trump administration so far this year, compared to missions carried out under President Biden in 2024. Fox News TV U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed to Fox News Digital on Friday that it conducted 10 airstrikes in 2024, and that so far this year it has carried out more than 100 airstrikes in Somalia. In the latest military action Tuesday, AFRICOM personnel were involved in an airstrike and reportedly a gun battle lasting up to four hours with ISIS-Somalia jihadists in Puntland, in the north of this African country. The operation was conducted, AFRICOM said in a media statement, "in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia." Multiple local sources reported high-value ISIS targets were hit, with reports that a high-level terror leader was either killed or captured, and up to 10 terrorists killed. There are no reports of U.S. casualties. This attack is the latest in a series of missions over Somalia against various jihadi groups, primarily ISIS, ISIS-Somalia and the al Qaeda-linked al-Shabab. An AFRICOM spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Thursday the U.S. "conducted an airstrike approximately 66 km southeast of Bossaso. To date, we’ve completed 101 airstrikes in Somalia — 59 of which have specifically targeted ISIS-Somalia. In coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, we continue to take action to degrade ISIS-Somalia and al-Shabab’s ability to threaten the U.S. Homeland, our forces, and our citizens abroad." Local sources report that in this latest attack, U.S. MQ9 Reaper drones first dropped missiles on the terrorists, who were said to be in and around a large cave. This was reportedly followed by an attack using 10 helicopters. During the battle, several sources claim U.S. troops disembarked from the helicopters. But U.S. military officials dismissed the fact that American forces stepped onto Somali soil, stressing there was no ground operation by American troops, stating twice that such reports are inaccurate. In a public statement, AFRICOM said "specific details about units and assets will not be released to ensure continued operations security". In August, AFRICOM stated that they carried out multiple airstrikes against ISIS fighters, with AFRICOM Commander Gen. Dagvin Anderson saying, "these lethal strikes demonstrate our resolve and commitment to ensuring Americans and our partners remain safe from the threat of global terrorism." The general continued that the strikes were aimed "against an organization that wishes to export their terror to the U.S. and our allies." Story continues: https://lnkd.in/eQiU6TYp

#Somalia / #Immigration - President Trump orders green cards from Somalia, other countries of "concern" be reexamined - CBS News: President Trump is now ordering that Somali green cards, along with green cards issued to 18 other countries of "concern," be reexamined. It's the latest move made by the president threatening the legal status of hundreds of Somali people in Minnesota, an issue that a right-wing activist claims came to his attention due to an article he co-authored. Mr. Trump's green card-related order came down Thursday after officials said an Afghan national shot and critically injured two National Guard members on Wednesday. That evening, in his address to the nation, the president pivoted to criticizing Minnesota's Somali population. "Hundreds of thousands of Somalians [sic] are ripping off our country and ripping apart that once great state," Mr. Trump said. He made a similar claim, without evidence, in a post to Truth Social this past weekend. In that message, he said he would terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalis in Minnesota, an action he does not have the power to take on his own. That call is ultimately up to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who said there was no timeline yet on ending TPS for Somalis during a visit to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport on Sunday. Christopher Rufo took credit for all of this in a tweet on Nov. 21. Rufo, who helped create a political firestorm over "critical race theory," co-authored a report in the conservative magazine City Journal claiming that people sent millions of dollars stolen in high-profile fraud Minnesota fraud schemes to people in Somalia that could have ended up in the hands of Somali terror group Al-Shabaab. The report uses similar sources related to a 2018 story, one that the Office of the Legislative Auditor reviewed. OLA ultimately was "unable to substantiate" the allegation that Minnesotans sent money stolen from the state Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) to a foreign terrorist organization. However, the report also stated that they did not find proof showing that no amount of money ever found its way to a terrorism group in Somalia. "It is possible that the individuals who sent the money sent it intending to provide support to a terrorist organization. It is also possible that individuals in Minnesota sent money to Somalia and other countries to help their families and friends pay for food, medicine, or shelter, but terrorists obtained the money through theft or extortion. All of these are possibilities, but for none of them did we find evidence to substantiate a connection between CCAP fraud money and support for a terrorist organization," the review reads. City Journal's report focuses on the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, the largest pandemic-related fraud scheme in the country... Story continues: https://lnkd.in/ef2tPjnc

#Yemen - Chinese AH4 howitzers appear with UAE-backed forces in Yemen - Defence Blog Chinese-made AH4 155mm howitzers have appeared for the first time with the UAE-backed Southern Giants Brigades in Yemen, marking another overseas deployment of the lightweight artillery system as the conflict’s dynamics continue to shift. The same model was recently documented with the UAE-supported Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the United Arab Emirates is the only confirmed foreign operator of the AH4 outside China. The movement of the system into multiple regional conflicts underscores Abu Dhabi’s influence across its partnered forces and its ongoing role in shaping the military balance in Yemen and Sudan. The AH4, manufactured by China’s state-owned Norinco, is a lightweight 155mm towed howitzer designed to offer greater tactical mobility compared to traditional heavy artillery. The system weighs approximately 4.5 tons, a fraction of the 18-ton class of older towed howitzers, allowing it to be transported by heavy-lift helicopters such as the CH-47 or Mi-26 and tactical airlifters like the C-130 or Y-8. Norinco’s design resembles the U.S.-made M777 lightweight howitzer produced by BAE Systems, which has a similar mass of around 4.2 tons. Both systems were created to meet a growing demand for long-range firepower that can be quickly repositioned across difficult terrain and inserted via air transport. As noted in multiple assessments, the AH4 offers a firing range of up to 40 kilometers when equipped with rocket-assisted projectiles. This range allows it to support mobile ground units and strike targets at a distance without relying on heavier, less mobile artillery platforms. Imagery emerging from Yemen shows the howitzer deployed with the Southern Giants Brigades, one of the most prominent UAE-backed formations involved in fighting Houthi forces along key frontlines. The appearance of the AH4 follows verified photos of the same system in Sudan, used by RSF units that have received extensive support from the UAE. Analysts monitoring regional arms flows note that the presence of the same Chinese system in two conflicts where Abu Dhabi plays a central role is unlikely to be coincidental. The United Arab Emirates has long invested in modernizing the firepower of partner forces, and the AH4’s mobility provides an advantage in environments where rapid redeployment is critical. The howitzer can be emplaced quickly, deliver accurate fire, and be repositioned before counter-battery threats emerge — a capability valued in both Yemen’s rugged terrain and Sudan’s dispersed battlefields. Neither China nor the UAE has publicly addressed the system’s onward transfer or its operational employment by proxy or partnered groups... Story continues: https://lnkd.in/dehMAwSv

#Nigeria - Parents of Kidnapped St. Mary’s Catholic School Pupils In Niger State Stage Protest, Register Missing Children - Sahara Reporters Media Group Over 200 parents of 315 pupils of St. Mary’s Catholic School, who were abducted by gunmen on November 21 in Papiri, Niger State, have taken to the streets to protest, citing government inaction. SaharaReporters gathered that the parents gathered at the school on Sunday to register their names and those of their missing children as part of a documentation exercise. SaharaReporters reported on November 21 following the incident, that the Niger State government, led by Mohammed Bago, ordered the temporary closure of boarding schools across the state. The Diocese of Minna, which oversees St. Mary’s Catholic School, released a list of 265 individuals still being held, including 239 nursery and primary pupils, 14 secondary students, and 12 staff members. At the protest, SaharaReporters gathered that over 200 parents converged at the school, registering their names and those of their missing children as part of a documentation exercise. Parents carried out the documentation exercise to assist authorities in tracking children still held captive. https://lnkd.in/eaknGG3K

#Pakistan / #Afghanistan - Fed Up With the Taliban, Pakistan Expels Masses of Afghans - The New York Times: As Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated military clashes and closed their borders, the Pakistani authorities have intensified mass expulsions of Afghans, saying they can no longer accommodate the decades-old refugee community. So far this year, about one million of the three million Afghans living in Pakistan have been deported or forced to return to Afghanistan, a country where many have never lived and where jobs and affordable housing are scarce amid a worsening humanitarian crisis. Many have lived their whole lives in Pakistan, which had served as a haven during Afghanistan’s successive wars since the Soviet Union’s invasion in 1979. It no longer is. On a recent evening on the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, four families with children, including an infant just 7 days old, were loading a truck with their lifelong possessions: bed frames, chickens, water jerrycans and a few pieces of luggage. Saifuddin, who goes by one name, said they had decided to leave before the crackdown on Afghans got worse. They had heard calls to go back to Afghanistan both at the mosque where they prayed and from the loudspeakers on police cars patrolling their slum. “Even after 45 years here, this isn’t our land,” he said. “And we don’t have a single home in Afghanistan.” Large numbers of Afghans have moved back and forth for decades, especially in the countries’ border areas that share linguistic and cultural ties. Expulsions are not new, but the indiscriminate nature of the current drive is. Pakistan has vowed to expel all Afghans, no matter what their immigration status is or if they face danger upon their return to Afghanistan. Pakistan’s push overlaps with moves by Western nations to restrict or prohibit Afghans from entering. The Trump administration said that it had stopped processing immigration applications from Afghanistan, and that it would review the status of Afghan asylum seekers already in the United States, including those who worked for American or NATO forces during the U.S.-led war, after the shooting on Wednesday of two National Guard members in Washington. The main suspect is Afghan. Iran, another of Afghanistan’s neighbors, has also deported or forced out more than 1.5 million Afghans this year. The large Afghan refugee communities abroad have served as a lifeline for Afghanistan, sending money back home and driving cross-border trade that has helped keep a battered Afghan economy afloat. But as Pakistan and Iran have faced their own economic crises, their governments have amped up the xenophobic rhetoric in recent months and accelerated large-scale expulsions that they initiated in 2023. Since then, the two nations have expelled or forcibly returned more than 4.5 million Afghans... Story continues: https://lnkd.in/e5gGBYcV

#Mali - Mali frees Barrick Gold employees after entering deal with the Canadian firm - TRT World: Four Malian employees of Barrick Mining have been released a year after they were detained in the capital Bamako amid a dispute between the company and the government, three sources told Reuters on Saturday. The two sides had been in a standoff over the implementation of the West African country's new mining code that gave Mali a bigger share of revenue from gold miners as gold prices surged to a record high. The Canadian miner said on Monday it had reached an agreementwith Mali's government to resolve all disputes over the Loulo-Gounkoto gold mining complex after two years of negotiations. The agreement included Mali releasing the four employees from prison, where they had been held since November 2024, according to a statement from the company. The sources who confirmed the release asked not to be named because they were not authorised to discuss the matter. https://lnkd.in/e97Caumt

#Lebanon / #Pope - Pope Leo XIV begins Lebanon visit amid economic crisis, heightened security concerns - Fox News Media: Pope Leo XIV arrived in Lebanon on Sunday, opening the second half of his first international trip as pontiff after three days in Turkey marked by calls for unity, peace and renewed ties among Christian communities. His stop in Lebanon places him in a nation where Christians have long-faced war, instability and a wave of emigration that has reshaped the country’s demographics. Lebanon was once a Christian-majority country, a balance reflected in the 1932 census that recorded Christians as just over half the population. No official count has been conducted since, but demographic studies and independent estimates show a significant shift over the past century. As Reuters reported, Christians are now "believed to make up roughly a third of Lebanon’s population," a decline driven by emigration, conflict, and changing birth rates. JP De Gance, founder and president of Communio, told Fox News Digital that the choice of Turkey and Lebanon as the pope’s first destinations is intentional. "Pope Leo chose to make Turkey and Lebanon the site of his first trip very likely to emphasize two major themes of his pontificate. Coming out of the conclave that elected him, he has placed a great emphasis on both unity and on peace." Lebanon marks the most emotionally charged part of the trip. The last papal visit came in 2012. Pope Francis had hoped to travel there but was unable to make the journey because of health concerns. Lebanon is often described as having the highest proportion of Christians in the Middle East, yet these communities have been devastated by economic collapse, political paralysis and mass migration over the last decade. The Associated Press reported that the pope’s schedule includes meetings with political leaders, Christian and Muslim clerics, and families affected by overlapping national crises. A key moment will come on Dec. 2 when he visits the Port of Beirut, the site of the 2020 explosion that killed more than 200 people and wounded thousands. His presence there is expected to draw significant attention in a country where many still demand accountability for the blast. Local media outlets report that large crowds are expected despite deep infrastructure problems and ongoing security challenges. The pope arrives amid one of Lebanon’s most volatile periods in years, with repeated exchanges of fire along the southern border throughout 2024 and 2025 between Hezbollah and Israeli forces. The clashes displaced residents and raised fears of a wider conflict, prompting questions about whether the situation might force last-minute changes to the papal itinerary. Story continues: https://lnkd.in/eJCenfaG

#Iraq / #Syria - Baghdad explores ways to bolster Syrian stability - Shafaq News On Sunday, Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Sudani and the US President’s Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, reviewed ways to reinforce Iraq’s security and prosperity through bilateral efforts to support stability in Syria. According to a statement from the PM’s media office, the meeting focused on practical measures to help advance security and economic revitalization. Both sides also exchanged views on preventing further escalation in the region and promoting a diplomatic path to resolve disputes. https://lnkd.in/ePBEtSTW

#Ukraine / #Russia - Peace Negotiations Update - Ukrainian Officials In Florida For Peace Talks, As Zelenskyy Struggles Amid Corruption Scandal - Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Ukrainian negotiators met with top US officials in Florida, amid accelerating efforts to hammer out terms of a plan to end Russia's war on Ukraine, as Russian drones again battered residential buildings, wounding more than a dozen people. In a post on Telegram, Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, announced the start of talks, being held at the golf club of the White House's lead envoy, Steve Witkoff. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, were also participating in the talks. "We have clear directives and priorities: the protection of Ukrainian interests, substantive dialogue, and moving forward based on the achievements achieved in Geneva," Umerov wrote. Rubio told reporters that the talks were aimed at halting the fighting, but also "an end to the war that leaves Ukraine sovereign and independent and with an opportunity at real prosperity." Umerov took over as head of the delegation after the abrupt resignation of Andriy Yermak, who has headed the offices of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Yermak resigned two days earlier, amid a major corruption scandal that has undermined support for Zelenskyy. Witkoff is later scheduled to travel to Moscow to meet with top Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin. It will be Witkoff's sixth meeting with Putin since January. “The American side is demonstrating a constructive approach, and in the coming days it is feasible to flesh out the steps to determine how to bring the war to a dignified end,” Zelenskyy said in a post to X earlier on November 30. Kyiv and its European allies are scrambling to develop an alternative proposal after Trump administration officials released a 28-point plan that echoed most of the hard-line terms Moscow has pressed since the start of its all-out invasion in February 2022. For some Ukrainians, the plan amounted to capitulation after nearly four years of war that has killed or wounded well more than 1 million men on both sides. French authorities announced that President Emmanuel Macron will host Zelenskyy in Paris on December 1 to discuss "the conditions for a just and lasting peace." Macron has been one of Kyiv's strongest backers. The initial 28-point US proposal, released last week, alarmed Ukrainian officials -- and reportedly angered Zelenskyy -- who then held their own talks with Rubio and other US officials in Geneva. Those talks resulted in a 19-point plan that leaves several major issues on the table, including the fate of a chunk of Ukraine's Donbas region, the fate of Ukraine's NATO aspirations, and a potential cap on the size of Kyiv's armed forces. Story continues: https://lnkd.in/eKiptFxJ