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PaperclipPerfector  24d ago (text post)   366 thread views

Transnational Thursday for August 13, 2026

Transnational Thursday is a thread for people to discuss international news, foreign policy or international relations history. Feel free as well to drop in with coverage of countries you’re interested in, talk about ongoing dynamics like the wars in Israel or Ukraine, or even just whatever you’re reading.

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The UN Secretary-General is still submitting reports on "the threat posed by ISIL (Da'esh)".

The threat from Da’esh and its affiliated groups waned in some theatres, as they were hindered by leadership disruptions, including the geographic dispersal of senior figures, and sustained counter-terrorism efforts. The killing of Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali al-Mainuki (not listed) on 16 May during a joint Nigeria-United States of America operation in Metele, Borno State, Nigeria marked a significant setback for the group. He had held several key positions, including deputy leader of Da’esh and head of the General Directorate of Provinces, as well as the head of the Al-Furqan “office” of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP, QDe.162). His death is likely to affect Da’esh’s ability to coordinate across its global network.

Despite these developments, ISWAP remained the most active Da’esh affiliate, carrying out more attacks than any other affiliate in the first half of the year. Member States reported that ISWAP had acquired several commercial drones, some of which were assessed to have been used in operations across both the Sahel and the Lake Chad basin.

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