Terrorism Watch

  The PKK’s disarmament reshapes Iraq’s security, stirs power struggles and opens regional cooperation chances The recent start of the PKK terrorist organization’s disarmament has generated considerable discussion across the region, yet its implications for Iraq are far more immediate and complex than often acknowledged. While widely seen as a security issue for Türkiye, it is Iraq, particularly its northern territories, that has witnessed the PKK presence. From the Qandil Mountains in the far northeast to Sinjar in the northwest, the PKK has established a de facto corridor of control across Iraqi territory, extending beyond rural strongholds to include cities, undermining Iraqi sovereignty and fueling local tensions. As such, the disarmament decision marks not just a turning point in  Türkiye’s security landscape  but a critical juncture for Iraq’s internal security and stability. Who will gain a foothold? The PKK’s disarmament on Iraqi territory would mark a profound sh...

  Last week, around 30 Kurdish fighters gathered alongside Iraqi and Turkish officials at a cave complex in the rugged mountains outside Sulaymaniyah, a city in the Kurdish autonomous region in northern Iraq. Dressed in olive green fatigues, they belonged to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been locked in a four decade long conflict with the Turkish state. But they weren’t there to fight. Their faces grave, they unclasped their war belts, unburdened their shoulders of AK-47 rifles, and  placed  their weapons in a bowl-shaped silver boiler. Then, in an echo of the bonfires of  Nowruz , the Persian and Kurdish New Year, which symbolize renewal, they set their weapons ablaze. “We destroy our weapons of our own free will as a decisive step toward the practical success of peace and a democratic society,” declared  Bese Hozat , a top leader of the PKK.  The disarmament ceremony signaled an end to the armed conflict between the  PKK and Turkey , o...

In response to growing security concerns in Balochistan’s Surab district, local authorities have issued sweeping new security directives for all public transport operators to take effect from July 21, 2025, The Balochistan Post reported. According to an official notification issued by the Assistant Commissioner of Surab, all buses, vans, and wagons operating in the district will be required to implement a set of mandatory safety measures. These include the deployment of private security guards on each vehicle, installation of GPS tracking systems, emergency alarm buttons, and CCTV cameras inside the coaches, The Balochistan Post reported. The directive warns that failure to comply with these requirements by July 22 will result in strict legal action. Officials described the measures as necessary to “protect the lives and property of passengers,” amid increasing militant activity in the region. The move follows a deadly attack near Nimargh in Kalat district earlier this month, in which ...

  The Sziget Festival is a staple of the European festival calendar every year. This time, however, in addition to global A-list artists such as Post Malone, Kid Cudi, and Charli XCX, the organizers also got a very controversial act on the marquee: the Northern Irish hip hop group Kneecap. As we have covered earlier,  Kneecap  is known for their explicit support for Palestine, and even the Islamist terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah. Sziget Festival Criticized by Hungarian Journalist over Band’s Alleged Terror Ties In response, more than 130 Hungarian musicians and other artists have signed an open letter in which they condemn the inclusion of the hip hop group in the popular festival’s line-up. According to the artists who have signed onto the initiative, the band is not speaking out for the rights of the Palestinian people, but for the terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah. They recall that Kneecap publicly praised the attacks by Hamas on 8 October 2023, the day af...

In bustling cities like Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad, behind high compounds walls and layers of security, live men accused of orchestrating some of the deadliest terror attacks India has ever faced. They aren’t fugitives hiding from the law — they are protected assets, quietly thriving in a system that shields them while denying accountability. Pakistan's deep state doesn’t just turn a blind eye to terrorism — it provides sanctuary, support, and sometimes even strategic cover. Despite global terror designations, multimillion-dollar bounties, and reams of intelligence dossiers, these men operate with freedom and intent. The recent Pahalgam massacre, where 26 civilians were gunned down by operatives of a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy, has once again brought into sharp focus the question India has been raising for years: Why are the masterminds of terror still untouched in Pakistan? Here's a closer look at the key figures who continue to enjoy immunity, affluence, and unchecked power acr...

  Attack is first of its kind in months and occurs as PKK has begun disarmament, ending armed campaign against Turkiye. An unidentified drone attack has killed a member of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and injured another near northern Iraq’s Sulaimaniyah, according to security sources and local officials. The attack on Saturday was the first of its kind in months and occurred as the PKK has begun  the first steps towards disarmament , ending its armed campaign against the Turkish state. The drone attack hit a motorbike in the area, according to Iraqi outlet The New Region. The mayor of Penjwen, in Sulaimaniyah, Hemin Ibrahim, confirmed that the drone targeted two people in a border village within the district, resulting in one dead, Kurdistan24 reported. “The two individuals were riding a motorcycle when they were targeted. One was killed, and the other sustained injuries,” he told the news outlet. Ibrahim told Kurdistan24 that the strike occurred Saturday morning. No gr...

  More than 80 years ago, members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army – hailed as heroes for standing up to the Soviet Union – stormed villages and slaughtered tens of thousands of ethnic Poles. Kyiv, Ukraine –  Nadiya escaped the rapists and killers only because her father hid her in a haystack amidst the shooting, shouting and bloodshed that took place 82 years ago. “He covered me with hay and told me not to get out no matter what,” the 94-year-old woman told Al Jazeera – and asked to withhold her last name and personal details. On July 11, 1943, members of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UIA), a nationalist paramilitary group armed with axes, knives and guns, stormed Nadiya’s village on the Polish-Ukrainian border, killing ethnic Polish men and raping women. “They also killed anyone who tried to protect the Poles,” Nadiya said. The nonagenarian is frail and doesn’t go out much, but her face, framed by milky white hair, lights up when she recalls the names and birthdays of he...

Pam Bondi says the proposed change will give her discretion over who can own firearms, in a move opposed by gun control groups. Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks at a news conference [File: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo] Washington, DC –  United States Attorney General Pam Bondi has begun a process to make it easier for individuals with criminal convictions to  own guns . The move on Friday comes amid a wider push by the administration of President Donald Trump to  make good  on campaign promises to gun rights groups, which criticise restrictions on firearm ownership as violations of the Constitution’s Second Amendment. Trump ordered a review of government gun policies in February. Gun control advocates, meanwhile, have voiced concerns over the administration’s ability to adequately assess which convicted individuals would not pose a public safety risk. In a  statement  released on Friday, Bondi said individuals with serious criminal convictions have bee...

  At least 20 injuries have been reported in Santa Monica Boulevard and up to five people are in critical condition. A vehicle reportedly rammed into a crowd of people in Los Angeles' East Hollywood on Saturday. The incident occurred on Santa Monica Boulevard.  At least 28 people have been injured, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department, and five are said to be in critical condition, AP reported. A further 8-10 are in serious condition, and 10-15 are in fair condition, the department reported Saturday. Videos posted on X showed roads being sealed off and patients being taken away in ambulances. The incident happened just before 2 a.m. local time (0900 GMT), the fire department said. There are no immediate details on the identity of the driver. The location was near a music venue, CNN reported. (This is a developing story) Source:  https://www.timesnownews.com/world/us/us-news/los-angeles-vehicle-ploughs-through-crowd-in-east-hollywood-santa-monica-boulevard-20-injur...

  On May 7, India launched 'Operation Sindoor,' a precision missile strike campaign targeting terror infrastructure across Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Punjab Province. The operation focused on nine key locations, including Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) headquarters, Markaz Taiba, in Muridke, nearly 50 kilometres from Lahore, and Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) Subhan Allah Mosque complex in Bahawalpur. Both sites are known hubs for training, radicalisation, recruitment, and weapons storage by these anti-India outfits. Emerging reports suggest the use of BrahMos air-launched cruise missiles (ALCMs) in the operation. "Over the last three decades, Pakistan has systematically built a terror infrastructure - a complex web of recruitment and indoctrination centres, training areas for both initial and refresher courses, and launch pads for handlers," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh stated following the strike, which lasted from 1:05 to 1:30 am on the night of May 7. While mili...

A Chinese man living illegally in the United States has pleaded guilty to exporting guns, ammunition and other military items to North Korea at the direction of Pyongyang, the US Department of Justice has said. Shenghua Wen, of Ontario, California, admitted to one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act – a 1977 law that empowers the president to restrict commerce with countries on national security grounds – and one count of acting as an illegal agent of a foreign government, the Justice Department said on Monday. Wen, 42, shipped at least three containers of guns bound for North Korea in 2023, one of which arrived in Nampo, North Korea, via Hong Kong, according to prosecutors. To facilitate the scheme, Wen bought a firearms business in Houston, Texas, and used false paperwork to conceal the contents of his shipping containers, according to prosecutors. Wen, who was arrested in December, also allegedly bought approximately 60,000 rounds of 9mm am...