Bloomberg: EU Nations Mull Reopening Afghan Embassies, Recognizing Taliban

“Several European countries are considering reopening their embassies in Afghanistan in a move that would entail diplomatic recognition of the Taliban almost three years after the fall of Kabul, according to people familiar with the matter. In a sign of potential interest, Italy conducted a reconnaissance mission with its intelligence services in Kabul in the past few weeks, said some of the people, who were granted anonymity to discuss sensitive plans. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed Rome’s ambassador, currently posted to Doha, Qatar, had visited Kabul. “We are working on it. There has been a mission by our ambassador,” he said in an interview on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington last week. “There are human rights problems. The solution is very complicated, it will take time.” Western nations, including the US, left Afghanistan after hastily evacuating nationals and security personnel in 2021, as Kabul fell to the Taliban, who had mounted a decades-long insurgency after being toppled from power in 2001.”

Reuters: Pakistan Army Says Eight Soldiers Killed In Militant Attack On Base

“Islamist militants attacked a military base in northwestern Pakistan, killing eight security personnel, the military said on Tuesday, after a suicide bomber rammed a vehicle loaded with explosives into a perimeter wall. The attack, which occurred on Monday, coincides with a resurgence of Islamist militancy in the restive northwest border region with Afghanistan, which last month prompted the government to launch a counter-insurgency operation in the area. Militants targeted the base in Bannu, on the border with the tribal area of North Waziristan, which is known as a hotbed of Islamist militancy, and is close to the Afghanistan border. Security forces killed all 10 assailants involved, the military said in a statement. "This timely and effective response ... prevented major catastrophe, saving precious innocent lives," the statement added. Among the dead in Monday's attack were seven army members and one paramilitary soldier.”

CEP Mentions

Tagesspiegel: More And More Attacks By Radical Settlers: Can The Violence In The West Be Contained

“Yehuda Fox was more than clear. In recent months, "nationalist crime has resurfaced under the guise of war," said the outgoing commander of the Central Command of the Israeli armed forces in his farewell speech last Monday. It has led to "chaos and fear among the Palestinian residents, who pose no threat." Some Israelis have adopted "the methods of the enemy."[…] "There is an extremely radical settler movement in Israel. Its supporters live in the West Bank and see this as a political-ideological act," says Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director of the international Counter Extremism Project, to the Tagesspiegel. By constantly putting pressure on Palestinian communities in the immediate vicinity, the settlers tried to persuade the Palestinians to leave the West Bank, says Schindler. In doing so, they often set up so-called outposts, small settlements that are illegal even under Israeli law.”

United States

The New York Times: Biden Calls J.D. Vance A Trump ‘clone’ As Democrats Label Him An Extremist

“Democrats seized on former President Donald J. Trump’s selection of Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio as his running mate on Monday, calling Mr. Vance an extremist whose views on abortion, tax cuts and the results of the 2020 election would repel many Americans. Mr. Vance, 39, entered the Senate only last year and has closely allied himself with the MAGA movement after attacking Mr. Trump during the 2016 election. Before boarding Air Force One on Monday for campaign events in Las Vegas, President Biden told reporters that Mr. Vance was “a clone of Trump on the issues” and said he did not “see any difference” between them. Mr. Biden’s campaign chair, Jen O’Malley Dillon, said on a call with reporters that Mr. Vance would “bend over backwards to enable Trump and his extreme MAGA agenda, even if it means breaking the law.” Among other issues, she called out his false statements that the 2020 election had been stolen.”

Pakistan

Voice Of America: 3 Killed In Car Bomb-And-Gun Attack On Pakistan Military Compound

“Authorities in northwestern Pakistan said Monday that a suicide bomber drove an explosive-laden vehicle into a military compound, followed by several armed insurgents storming it, resulting in the death of at least three soldiers and injuries to 12 others. The pre-dawn raid occurred in the garrison city of Bannu in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. Local police officials and witnesses reported that the intensity of the blast had also shattered nearby civilian homes, injuring at least six people. Security sources told VOA that Pakistani soldiers quickly “cornered” the assailants in a part of the building, killing four of them in the ensuing heavy gunfight. They said that army commandos were conducting a “clearance operation” to neutralize the threat and secure the compound completely. A spokesperson from the military's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), told VOA they are waiting for further details.”

Yemen

Associated Press: Two Attacks By Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Strike Ships In The Red Sea

“Two attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted ships in the Red Sea on Monday as a new U.S. aircraft carrier approached the region to provide security for the key international trade route that has been under assault since the Israel-Hamas war erupted nine months ago. Three small Houthi vessels, two of which were crewed and another uncrewed, attacked the Panama-flagged and Israeli-owned MT Bently I off the coast of Al Hudaydah, Yemen, according to British and American authorities. The “reported unmanned small craft collided with the vessel twice and the 2 manned small craft fired at the vessel,” the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported. ”The vessel conducted self-protection measures, after 15 minutes the small craft aborted the attack.” The captain later reported three separate waves of missile attacks that exploded in close proximity to the vessel.”

Lebanon

Associated Press: Israeli Drone Strike Along Lebanon-Syria Border Kills Syrian Businessman Close To The Government

“An Israeli drone strike on a car Monday near the Lebanon-Syria border killed a prominent Syrian businessman who was sanctioned by the United States and had close ties to the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, according to pro-government media and an official from an Iran-backed group. Mohammed Baraa Katerji was killed when a drone strike hit his car near the area of Saboura, a few kilometers or miles inside Syria after apparently crossing from Lebanon. Israel’s air force has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in recent years, mainly targeting members of Iran-backed groups and Syria’s military. But it has been rare to hit personalities from within the government. The strike also came as Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah group have been exchanging fire on an almost daily basis since early October, after the start of the Israel-Hamas war.”

Middle East

Reuters: Palestinian Factions, Including Hamas And Fatah, To Meet In China In July

“Palestinian factions, including rivals Hamas and Fatah, will hold unity talks in China in July, two senior Hamas and Fatah officials told Reuters on Monday, as they try to resolve deep divisions. The two factions met in China in April to discuss reconciliation efforts to end around 17 years of political splits. The meetings come amid rising tensions between the two factions over Hamas' continued war with Israel. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who leads the Fatah movement, has previously criticized the Islamist Hamas group for the war, while Hamas has accused the Palestinian president of taking Israel's side. The two main Palestinian factions have been at odds since Hamas won legislative elections in 2006 and took over the Gaza Strip in 2007 after a brief civil war in which it routed the Western-backed Palestinian forces loyal to Abbas.”

Associated Press: Far-Right Groups That Block Aid To Gaza Receive Tax-Deductible Donations From US And Israel

“Under American pressure, Israel has pledged to deliver large quantities of humanitarian aid into the war-ravaged Gaza Strip. But at the same time, the U.S. and Israel have allowed tax-deductible donations to far-right groups that have blocked that aid from being delivered. Three groups that have prevented humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza — including one accused of looting or destroying supplies — have raised more than $200,000 from donors in the U.S. and Israel, The Associated Press and the Israeli investigative site Shomrim have found in an examination of crowdfunding websites and other public records. Incentivizing these donations by making them tax-deductible runs counter to America’s and Israel’s stated commitments to allow unlimited food, water and medicine into Gaza, say groups working to get more aid into the territory. Donations have continued even after the U.S. imposed sanctions against one of these groups.”

Reuters: Four Killed, Several Wounded By Gunfire Near Mosque In Oman, Police Say

“Four people were killed and several wounded by gunfire in the vicinity of a mosque in Oman, the Omani police said on Tuesday, a rare breach of security in one of the most stable countries in the Middle East. "All security measures and procedures have been taken to deal with the situation, and procedures for gathering evidence and investigation are being completed," the police said in a statement. The U.S. embassy in the capital Muscat said it is following reports of the shooting incident in Wadi al-Kabir, in the governorate of the capital city Muscat. "U.S. citizens should remain vigilant, monitor local news and heed directions of local authorities," it said in a statement. Oman has maintained its neutrality in the turbulent region and mediated in disputes including between the United States and Iran.”

Somalia

Garowe Online: Dozens Of Al-Shabaab Fighters Killed In Somalia

“Somalia's infantry soldiers from the Somali National Army (SNA) have killed over 50 Al-Shabaab fighters in central regions, the biggest achievement within the last few months after operations were briefly halted across the country. The operation was activated in Masagaway and Awsweyne, Galgudud region, with the army moving forward to reclaim all strategic towns in the middle of the ongoing exit of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) troops. According to reports, members of the international community also participated in the operation, helping the Somali National Army and local forces who were on the frontlines. The US Africa Command is yet to make an update. "Over 50 al-Shabaab terrorists were killed in a joint operation by the National Army and local forces in the Mesegaway and Awsweyne areas of Galgaduud region," state media confirmed in an update on X formerly Twitter.”

Reuters: Car Bomb Kills Five, Injures 20 Outside Restaurant In Somalia's Capital

“Al Shabaab militants claimed responsibility for the attack on an affiliated radio station, saying the bombing targeted a place where security and government workers meet at night. The Islamist group, which once ruled much of Somalia, has been fighting for years to impose its strict interpretation of Islam on Somalia. The insurgents have frequently launched raids and deadly attacks in Mogadishu and other regions controlled by the federal government in the last two years, despite losing large swathes of territory to government forces and their allies.”

Africa

Voice Of America: Chad Declares Humanitarian Crisis, Pleads For International Help

“Officials in Chad say urgent international help is needed to save the lives of more than 2 million people caught in a severe humanitarian crisis caused by conflicts and climate shocks. Officials say the country is among the poorest nations in the world, and food is particularly scarce now, as hunger peaks in the June-to-August lean season between harvests. Abdelmadjid Abderahim, Chad's minister of public health, said he is pleading with all international partners to help Chad during a severe humanitarian crisis affecting over 2 million civilians in the country of about 18 million people. Abderahim said flooding, an influx of refugees, increasing numbers of displaced persons, and armed conflicts between communities are inflicting suffering on civilians that Chad's government alone cannot meet. Abderahim, speaking Monday on Chad state TV, described the food insecurity and humanitarian crisis as unprecedented.”

Germany

DW: Germany Bans Right-Wing Extremist Compact Magazine

“Germany's Interior Ministry banned the right-wing extremist Compact magazine, it said on Tuesday. Authorities searched properties related to the magazine in four German states: Brandenburg, Hesse, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. The aim of the raid was to confiscate assets and evidence, the ministry said.  The ban also applies to Compact's subsidiary Conspect Film, and prohibits any continuation of previous activities. "It is a central mouthpiece of the right-wing extremist scene. This magazine incites hatred against Jews, people with a history of migration and our parliamentary democracy in an unspeakable manner," said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. The ban shows "that we are also taking action against the intellectual arsonists who are stirring up a climate of hatred and violence against refugees and migrants and want to overcome our democratic state," Faeser added.”

Voice Of America: Lebanese Man Arrested In Germany, Accused Of Supplying Drone Parts To Hezbollah

“German prosecutors announced on Monday the arrest of a Lebanese man suspected of being affiliated with the Hezbollah militant group. He is accused of sourcing drone components intended for export and use in attacks against Israel. The man, identified as Fadel Z., was arrested Sunday in Salzgitter, in Lower Saxony state, federal prosecutors said in a statement. Prosecutors indicated that he was a member of Hezbollah in Lebanon by the summer of 2016. This year, he reportedly began sourcing components in Germany for military drones, specifically engines, at the militant group’s request. The parts were intended for export to Lebanon for use in attacks against Israel, prosecutors said. Since early October, the Israeli military has engaged in frequent cross-border exchanges of fire with Hezbollah. Nearly 500 people have been killed in Lebanon and at least 20 in Israel.”

India

DW: India: 4 Soldiers Killed In Kashmir Militant Fighting

“At least four Indian soldiers, including an officer, were killed in a gunfight with suspected rebels in an Indian-administered district in the disputed Kashmir region, the army said on Tuesday. The shooting took place in the forests of the Doda district in the Jammu Division. Another police officer also died later due to his wounds, the French AFP news agency cited an anonymous security source as saying. The attack comes a day after the Indian army said it killed three suspected militants as they tried to cross from the Pakistan-controlled side of the highly-militarized dividing line. Security forces had launched an operation some 135 kilometers (85 miles) southeast of the territory's capital Srinagar in the Jammu area on Monday evening. Militants ambushed the patrolling team, military officials said, with a firefight ensuing.”