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With the world's attention focused on Europe's gas supply, the question of infrastructure and climate change, even amongst terrorists and militants is raised. To be clear, many militants are already taking advantage of both. On 19 and 20 March 2022 elements of the Houthi (Ansarallah) movement launched multiple ballistic missiles and weaponized drones at specific targets in Saudi Arabia - the Aramco oil facilities in Jizan, Jeddah, and Abha, as well as the desalination plant in al-Shadqiq. Saudi Arabia's desalination plants are a viable target to the Houthis, as without the plants, Saudi Arabia has little access to drinking water. With the 2014 Houthi takeover, granting immediate access to Yemeni army's ballistic missiles, all of the water desalination plants on the western Saudi coast are at risk. A week earlier, suspected elements of Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) or Islamic State Greater Sahara (ISGS) stormed the village of Arbinda in northern Burkina Faso. Part of their armed attack included ransacking water towers, pumps, and wells. Militants such as these have been employing a “sanctuary strategy,” where they roust people from their homes so that they can move in; and in doing so, they co-opt all of the infrastructure built by the previous owners, such as water tanks, pumps, and wells. Additionally, Islamic State has been taking advantage of sand storms to strike as has JNIM during floods in Mali.
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TRAC Incident Report:
Mexican Cartel Members Kidnapped & Brutally Murdered
Two Informants of a Rival Gang
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Image: Screenshot from video of dubbed "No Mercy in Mexico." | |
Mexican cartels are certainly known for their extreme violence particularly when dealing alleged informants of rival cartels; however, the recent video circulating of the killing of a father and son reaches a new level of brutality that goes far beyond the norm; the video has now gone viral on social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit. Given the manner in which the father and son duo were tortured and killed, the video dubbed "No Mercy in Mexico" depicted the father beaten and beheaded and continued with the son literally having his heart cut from his chest. Part of what sets this video apart from many other violent cartel videos is not just the gruesomeness displayed, but also the fact that the cartel members doing the torturing and killing were disguised as police and the sounds of radio police chatter could be heard in the background. Additionally, many execution videos by cartels are intended to serve as a warning, having the "captives" confessing their "crimes" and group associations; however, this video had none of those components. | |
TRAC Incident Report:
Hackers from Anonymous Threaten Companies with Data Loss if Refuse to Vacate Operations in Russia; Leaks 10GB of Data from Largest Food Company in the World, Nestlé
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Image: Anonymous reportedly dumped 10GB of data of from Nestlé business consumers information | |
The Anonymous Hacker Collective have organized against the Russian invasion of Ukraine from the very beginning and have been engaging in information warfare against Russia. On 20 March 2022, the group threatened major transnational, Fortune 500 companies who have not pulled out of Russia over the invasion of the Ukraine. The threats were posted on Twitter under the hashtags #OpRussia, #boycottnestle, or #PullOutOfRussia. By 22 March 2022, the hacker group made good on its first threat by hacking into the largest food distributor in the world, Nestlé. Anonymous dumped 10GB of data of emails, passwords, and Nestlé business consumer information. | |
TRAC Incident Report:
Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) Wali, Sani Shuwaram Reportedly Killed in Nigerian Air Force Strike at Marte Axis, Borno State, Nigeria; Rumors Mallam Bako Gorgore will be New Wali
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Images: Twitter Photo Celebrating Sani Shuwaram’s Purported Death 20 March 2022 | |
Although details on the incident are sparse, it is reported that some time in February 2022, the Wali of Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) was killed during multiple Nigerian Air Force bombardments of his camp in the Sabon Tumbun area of Lake Chad, near Kirta Wulgo. Shuwaram is said to have suffered gunshot wounds from fighter jets during the raid on the camp. Subsequent bombings may have killed him along with other ISWA fighters where they were receiving treatment at an ISWA field hospital. Of note, the source also claims IS commander Abu Ibrahim, assumed to mean Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, was in the same field hospital with Shuwaram. A fact that, if true, contradicts the American story that Abu Ibrahim blew himself up in northern Syria on 03 February 2022. TRAC remains skeptical about this particular piece of intelligence but will attempt to verify the claim. It is said Mallam Bako Gorgore has been nominated as the new Wali of ISWA to replace Shuwaram. Gorgore is reportedly a member of the ISWA Shura Council at Tumbun Gabasa, Lake Chad. | | |
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TRAC Incident Report: Suspected Islamic State Supporter Lone Knife and Vehicle Attack on Hebron Road in Be’er Sheba, Negev Desert, Southern Israel | |
(Anonymous Anarchist) American Anarchist 11 March 2022 Vandalism Attack on Engineering Vehicles in ‘Defense’ of the Atlanta Forest, DeKalb County, Atlanta, Georgia, United States | | | | |
