Boko Haram Attack On Village Leaves 81 Dead In Nigeria

Boko Haram terror group leader Abubakar Shekau with other terrorists

Yobe: Suspected fighters from Boko Haram attacked a village in north-eastern Nigeria and left multiple people dead, with the members of the group setting fire to shops and homes during the assault, Al Jazeera reported.

The attack took place on Sunday afternoon.

Local official Bulama Jalaluddeen said that the attack claimed the lives of 81 people. "It has been established that at least 81 people were killed in the attack," Jalaluddeen said.

However, resident Modu Mohammed, who lives in Mafa, said several more residents were missing and estimated the death toll at more than 100. He said some corpses were still in the bush.

However, contrary to the official reports, Mafa resident Modu Mohammed said that several residents remain unaccounted for and estimated the death toll to exceed 100.

Around 150 suspected Boko Haram members armed with rifles attacked Mafa ward. "Around 150 suspected Boko Haram terrorists armed with rifles and RPGs (Rocket-Propelled grenades) attacked Mafa ward on more than 50 motorcycles," said Dungus Abdulkarim, a police spokesman in Yobe State where the village is located.

"They killed many people and burnt many shops and houses. We are yet to ascertain the actual number of those killed in the attack," Abdulkarim added, according to Al Jazeera.

According to Abdulkarim, the attack on Mafa ward appeared to be a revenge assault by Boko Haram, retaliating against the local vigilantes who had previously killed two of the group's suspected fighters.

The officials also said that efforts were continuing to confirm the number of people killed in Mafa.

"Fifteen bodies had already been buried by their relatives by the time soldiers reached Mafa for the evacuation of the corpses. In addition to these, some unspecified number of dead victims from nearby villages who were caught up in the attack were taken and buried by their kinsmen before the arrival of the soldiers. Many people are still missing and their whereabouts unknown," local official Jalaluddeen said, Al Jazeera reported.

Yobe bears the brunt of a 15-year insurgency by Boko Haram and other extremist groups, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced over two million people. The militant groups have strengthened alliances with gangs of criminals known as "bandits," who kill and abduct residents and burn homes after looting them, Al Jazeera reported.

This report is auto-generated from a syndicated feed

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At Least 18 People Killed, 48 Others Injured In Bomb Blasts In Borno, Nigeria

Borno: At least 18 people were killed and 48 others were injured in bomb blasts in Nigeria's northeast Borno state, CNN reported, citing the state's emergency services.

The first blast occurred at a wedding ceremony at about 3 pm (local time) on Saturday. Then, another blast took place at General Hospital Gwoza and a third at a funeral.

Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Director General Barkindo Muhammad Saidu visited the site of the incident in Gwoza Town, CNN reported.

According to Borno State Emergency Management Agency-SEMA, men, women and children were among the deceased, the report said. No further details were provided regarding the incident.

(With Agency Inputs)

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'Unlawful, Unjustifiable': Blinken Draws Comparison Between LeT In Mumbai, Holocaust

New York: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has drawn a parallel between the terrorist attacks by Lashkar-e-Taiba in Mumbai and Hamas in Israel, emphasising that all acts of terrorism are "unlawful and unjustifiable."

Speaking at the United States Security Council ministerial meeting regarding the situation in the Middle East, following the October 7 attack on Israel by Gaza-based Hamas, Blinken denounced member states that provide support, including arming, funding, and training, to terrorist groups.

"We must affirm the right of any nation to defend itself and to prevent such horror from repeating itself. No member of this Council, no nation in this entire body could or would tolerate the slaughter of its people," the US Secretary said.

In his statement, Blinken highlighted similarities between terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas against Israel and those by the Pakistan-based terror organization Lashkar-e-Taiba in Mumbai.

"As this Council and the UN General Assembly have repeatedly affirmed, all acts of terrorism are unlawful and unjustifiable. They're unlawful and unjustifiable, whether they target people in Nairobi or Bali Istanbul or Mumbai, in New York or Kibbutz Be'eri," he said.

"They are unlawful and unjustifiable whether they're carried out by ISIS, by Boko Haram, by Al Shabaab, by Lashkar-e-Taiba or by Hamas. They are unlawful and unjustifiable whether victims are targeted for their faith, their ethnicity, their nationality or any other reason," Blinken said.

He emphasised the Security Council's responsibility to condemn member states that provide support in terms of arming, financing, and training to Hamas or any other terrorist group involved in such heinous acts.

Blinken's comments were in reference to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks carried out by the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. These attacks, which occurred in 2008, resulted in the tragic loss of 166 lives, including six Americans.

During the attacks, ten Pakistani terrorists laid siege to Mumbai for over 60 hours, targeting and killing individuals in India's financial hub.

Blinken also said "humanitarian pauses" in the Gaza war must be considered in order to protect Palestinian civilians, The Times of Israel reported.

Blinken's idea falls short of a ceasefire which US officials have rejected in recent days as a step that would amount to help for Hamas, arguing that Israel still has a right to forcefully respond to the October 7 onslaught in order to ensure that it doesn't happen again, according to The Times of Israel.

"Palestinian civilians must be protected. That means Hamas must cease using them as human shields. It's hard to think of an act of greater cynicism," he said.

"It means Israel must take all possible precautions to avoid harm to civilians. It means food, water, medicine and other essential humanitarian assistance must be able to flow into Gaza and to the people who need it. It means civilians must be able to get out of harm's way. It means humanitarian pauses must be considered for these purposes," the US State Secretary added.

The US official also called out the international community for failing to explicitly condemn the October 7 Hamas onslaught.

In in his speech he said that in his conversations with world leaders since the assault, there has been agreement that countries have a right and obligation to respond to terror attacks against their civilians but indicates that not all of them have acknowledged this publicly.

Meanwhile, Israel has demanded the resignation of United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres from his position over his remarks against the Israeli counteroffensive in Gaza after terror attacks by Hamas on October 7.

The Israeli envoy to the UN, Gilad Erdan called Guterres "unfit" to lead the UN and called for his resignation.

This came after the UN chief said that the attacks by Hamas "did not happen in a vacuum" further adding that the attacks cannot justify the "collective punishment of the Palestinian people".

"It is important to also recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum. The Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation. They have seen their land steadily devoured by settlements and plagued by violence; their economy stifled; their people displaced and their homes demolished. Their hopes for a political solution to their plight have been vanishing," the UN chief said at the General Assembly., as per The Times of Israel.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported over 5,000 Palestinians have been killed so far, including over 2,000 children and 1,100 women as well as journalists, medical workers and first responders, with more than 15,000 injured.

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Coherent Response Required To Defeat Terrorism In Africa: India At UN

New York: India on Thursday, reiterated that a strong response reflecting the international community's collective commitment is required for defeating terrorism in Africa.

During a UNSC debate on 'Counterterrorism in Africa: An imperative for peace, security and development', the Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj said, "A strong, effective and coherent response that reflects the international community's collective commitment to defeat terrorism is essential in Africa as elsewhere."

"We very much hope that the Delhi Declaration would pave the way for the formation of a normative framework," she added.

The UN Representative further said that the foothold of terrorism in Africa had expanded significantly in recent years.

"Terrorist groups in Africa continue to target civilians and peacekeeping forces, across conflict zones. Sadly, the worst recipients of their atrocities have been women, children and vulnerable sections of the population," Kamboj added.

Kamboj also stressed the fact that following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the risk of IS affiliates and other terrorist groups imitating this in Africa remains high.

"In this context, we need to fully implement UN Security Resolution 2593," she added.

The UN Representative also emphasized that India has been contributing proactively to enhance the capacity of African states in combating terrorism.

"Since 2018 India has contributed more than 1.5 million dollars to the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) program targeting capacity building of countries of east and southern Africa. This year too as announced by the External Affairs Minister of India at the CTC special meeting in New Delhi, we have contributed half a million dollars to further strengthen our effort," she said.

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India Condemns Terrorist Attacks In Mogadishu

New Delhi: India on Sunday strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Mogadishu on October 29 that have claimed several innocent lives.

"We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to those injured in the twin blasts," read the Ministry of External Affairs press release.

As many as 100 people were killed and more than 300 others were wounded in Somalia on Saturday after two car bombs exploded near the education ministry in the capital Mogadishu.

The two car bombs exploded near a busy intersection in the capital and near the Ministry of Education, according to an official with the president's office, reported CNN.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in a video statement posted on his official Twitter account claimed that the Al-Shabaab terror group in Somalia was responsible for the deadly attack.

"Today's cruel and cowardly terrorist attack on innocent people by the morally bankrupt and criminal al-Shabaab group cannot discourage us but will further strengthen our resolve to defeat them once and for all," Mohamud wrote on Twitter.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the Islamist group Al-Shabaab has claimed other recent attacks, reported CNN.

"Our government and brave people will continue to defend Somalia against evil," Mohamud added.

The intersection, Zobe junction, was the same location as a deadly bombing attack on October 14, 2017, which killed more than 500 people and injured around 300 others.

"By the will of God, no other October like this will happen. They won't get the chance to commit such a thing," Mohamud said, calling Saturday's attack a repeat of the 2017 bombings.

The recent siege of an upscale hotel in the capital Mogadishu killing at least 20 people is a grave reminder of the security challenges the country is facing.

Al-Shabaab emerged as the radical youth wing of Somalia's now-defunct Union of Islamic Courts, which controlled Mogadishu in 2006, before being forced out by Ethiopian forces.

Al-Shabaab advocates the Saudi-inspired Wahhabi version of Islam, while most Somalis are Sufis.

It has imposed a strict version of Sharia in areas under its control, including stoning to death women accused of adultery and amputating the hands of thieves.

It is banned as a terrorist group by both the US and the UK.

There have been numerous reports that Al-Shabab may have formed some links with other militant groups, such as Boko Haram in Nigeria and Al-Qaeda.

Somalia has long been called a failed or fragile state that has seen one of the biggest failures of international counter-terror operations.

Somalia has not had an effective national government for more than 20 years, during which much of the country has been a war-zone.

Al-Shabaab gained support by promising people security, but its credibility was knocked when it rejected Western food aid to combat a 2011 drought and famine.

In 2022, there was a peaceful transition of power in Somalia after the successful completion of the legislative and presidential elections.

In recent years, despite international counter-terror measures, Al-Shabab has grown in strength, cashing in on the humanitarian crisis in Somalia and the security crises in neighbouring countries.

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India Strongly Condemns Terrorist Attacks By Jihadists In Southwestern Niger; Over 100 Killed

In a statement, the MEA said India stands in solidarity with the government and people of Niger in the fight against terrorism. The attacks on the villages of Tchoma Bangou and Zaroumadareye occurred Saturday just as first-round presidential results were announced

New Delhi: The ministry of external affairs said India stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Niger in the fight against terrorism. The ministry of external affairs said India stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Niger in the fight against terrorism.

Issoufou Issaka, a former government minister who comes from the region, said the jihadists had carried out the double massacre after local people had lynched two of their number. He gave an estimated death count of 100.

India on Monday strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in southwestern Niger that left over 100 civilians dead and many injured.

The ministry of external affairs (MEA) said India has always opposed and rejected terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and urged concerted global action against the menace, including cross-border terrorism.

Over 70 people were killed and many injured in terror attacks on two villages in southwestern Niger on Saturday. In a statement, the MEA said India stands in solidarity with the government and people of Niger in the fight against terrorism.

“India strongly condemns the terrorist attacks in southwestern Niger on January 2, where more than 100 civilians have been killed and many injured. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the people and government of Niger,” it said.

“India stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Niger in the fight against terrorism. India has always opposed and rejected terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and has urged concerted action by the international community against terrorism, including cross-border terrorism,” it said.

AFP

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110 Civilians 'Ruthlessly Killed' By Boko Haram Terrorists In Nigerian Attack: UN

The attackers tied up agricultural workers and slit their throats. The attack is being blamed on Boko Haram, the jihadist terror group

Mourners attend the funeral of farm workers in Zabarmari, about 20km from Maiduguri, Nigeria, on November 29, 2020. They were killed by Boko Haram fighters in rice fields near the village of Koshobe on November 28, 2020

A horrific attack blamed on Boko Haram jihadist group has claimed 110 lives in northeast Nigeria, said the United Nations. UN's humanitarian coordinator said that this was the "most violent direct attack against innocent civilians this year". The attack took in Koshobe, a village near the main city of Maiduguri. The attackers targeted rice field farmers. The tragedy took place on Saturday (November 28)

"At least 110 civilians were ruthlessly killed and many others were wounded in this attack," UN's Edward Kallon said in a statement after initial tolls indicated 43 and then at least 70 dead from Saturday's massacre by suspected Boko Haram fighters.

"The incident is the most violent direct attack against innocent civilians this year," Kallon said, adding: "I call for the perpetrators of this heinous and senseless act to be brought to justice."

Borno Governor Babaganan Umara Zulum attended the burial Sunday in the nearby village of Zabarmari of 43 bodies recovered on Saturday, saying the toll could rise after search operations resumed.

According to a pro-government anti-jihadist media, the attackers tied up agricultural workers and slit their throats.

The victims were among labourers from Sokoto state in north-western Nigeria, roughly 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) away, who had travelled to the northeast to find work, it said. 

Six were wounded in the attack and eight remained missing as of Saturday.

Kallon, citing "reports that several women may have been kidnapped", called for their immediate release and return to safety.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attack, saying: "The entire country has been wounded by these senseless killings."

The attack took place as voters went to the polls in long-delayed local elections in Borno State.

The polls had been repeatedly postponed because of an increase in attacks by Boko Haram and a rival dissident faction, ISWAP.

The two groups have been blamed for increasing attacks on loggers, farmers and fishermen whom they accuse of spying for the army and pro-government militias.

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India, EU Explore Sanctions As A Tool To Combat International Terror

India and the EU at the Dialogue strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations including the use of terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism

New Delhi: India and EU eyeing to elevate their security and strategic partnership have explored sanctions as a tool to combat terrorism, including designations of certain terrorist groups and individuals.

This concept was discussed at the 12th Counter Terrorism Dialogue between India and the European Union (EU) was held virtually on Thursday. If the idea fructifies it will be the first time that India and EU will designate certain terror groups and individuals. While India has been the victim of Pakistan-sponsored terror, Europe is also facing heat from Pak-based terror groups and ideologies.

India and the EU at the Dialogue strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations including the use of terrorist proxies for cross-border terrorism, officials said. India condemned the recent terror attacks in the member states of the European Union and expressed condolences to the families of the victims. The EU reiterated its condemnation of terrorist attacks in India, including 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot and Pulwama and reiterated its support for the people and government of India in the fight against terrorism.

India and the EU emphasised the need for strengthening international cooperation to combat terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner. They reaffirmed that it is crucial that perpetrators of violence and terrorism are brought to justice, according to officials.

The participants of the Dialogue reviewed threats posed by UN-sanctioned terrorist entities and emphasised the need for concerted action against all terrorist networks. They also underlined the urgent need for all countries to take immediate, sustained and irreversible action to ensure that no territory under their control is used for terrorist attacks on other countries.

India and the EU exchanged views on current counter-terrorism challenges, including countering radicalisation and violent extremism, combating the financing of terrorism, and tackling terrorist use of the internet. They agreed to strengthen cooperation in dealing with these challenges, officials informed.

The two sides also discussed ways to deepen cooperation between Indian Agencies and their European counterparts, including Europol, to enhance interaction in the sphere of counter terrorism. In this context, they referred to the on-going negotiations on a working arrangement between Europol and the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation to support Indian and EU law enforcement authorities in preventing and combating organised crime and terrorism.

The Dialogue also presented an opportunity to discuss counter terrorism cooperation in multilateral fora such as the Financial Action Task Force, the Global Counter Terrorism Forum and the United Nations (UN), including in the UN High-Level Counter-terrorism Week 2021 and the upcoming review of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

The Counter-Terrorism Dialogue was co-chaired by Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary for Counter Terrorism, Ministry of External Affairs and Joanneke Balfoort, Director for Security Policy, European External Action Service.

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Petro-Dollar Funded Wahhabism Faces An Existential Crisis: Is This The End of Saudi Arabia As We Know It?

Saudi Arabia, the largest exporter of petroleum and one of the richest countries in the world, is facing an unprecedented crisis due to historically low oil prices. Brent crude, the oil that primarily Saudi Arabia sells to the world, is trading at 18 dollars per barrel, against the 82 dollars per barrel rate budgeted by the Saudi government in FY 2020. With this, the story of Saudi Arabia and its Petro-dollar funded Wahhabi ideology across the world is all set to take a blow.

In the United States, which purchased almost one-tenth of Saudi’s total oil export, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil is trading at near-zero or negative prices. Trump has threatened that he would impose a complete ban on the import of Saudi oil to protect the domestic industry and increase the consumption of WTI crude oil.

The 780 billion dollar Saudi economy is completely dependent on oil and the majority of the government revenue comes from Saudi Aramco, the government company which owns the country’s oil reserves.

Presenting the budget for FY 20 in December last year, the de-facto ruler Prince Mohammed Bin Salman announced spending of 272 billion dollars- around 28 percent of GDP- and revenue of 225 billion dollars; GDP growth at 2.3 percent and inflation at 2 percent. The public debt was estimated at 26 percent of, a healthy figure compared to international standards.

But with the outbreak of Coronavirus and the steep fall in oil prices, the whole math is disturbed for Saudi rulers. The fiscal deficit, earlier estimated in the ballpark of 40 to 45 billion dollars, is now expected to touch 61 billion dollars, and despite such huge deficit spending, the economy is projected to shrink by 3 percent. By the year-end, its fiscal deficit is expected to be a touch double-digits in terms of debt to GDP ratio.

The Saudi government announced a 32 billion dollars emergency support package, and in order to do that, it increased the public debt limit to 50 percent of GDP from earlier 20 percent, despite warnings from experts.

“A substantial increase of debt/GDP from the low 20s to 50 percent could create considerable long term financial stability issues especially if debt requirements rise as oil revenues fall,” said John Sfakianakis, a Gulf expert at the University of Cambridge.

Saudi Arabia is set to hold G20 summit in November this year, but with the dwindling economy and Coronavirus pandemic, the country will face major problems in making the even successful, instead of gaining big, as expected earlier. The Economist, the globally respected magazine (at least on economy and finance) read by the top executives of the world, did a story titled- A lost year in Saudi Arabia, and argued, “The oil crash and the pandemic have roiled plans to focus on diplomacy and growth.”

“This (oil slump) has changed everything,” said Monica Malik, chief economist at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank. “So much of the recent recovery was based on the fact that the oil price had been above $50-$60, providing support to economic activity, and that’s just been decimated.”

The fall in WTI crude prices will have major psychological impact and weaken the investor’s faith in oil and gas sector.

“Yesterday’s price slump was psychologically very important,” said Eugen Weinberg, Commerzbank AG’s head of commodity research. “There is a possibility it will change perceptions forever.”

For decades, Saudi was the leader of the Islamic world despite a small population of around 3.4 crore. The economy of 780 billion dollars was the reason behind that other Islamic nations such as Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Malaysia accepted Saudi’s leadership despite having a larger Muslim population.

Saudi Arabia gave billions of dollars to Islamic countries around the world, and this money was being transferred primarily to Madrasa where Maulvis propagated Wahhabi interpretation of Islam. Saudi funded Masjids and Madrasas even in European countries, and urged the Maulvis out there to teach a radical Wahhabi version of Islam.

With the oil prices at historic low and no signs of recovery in the future, Saudi will cut billions of petrodollars it used to spend to finance Islamic seminaries. Prince MBS has already ordered the branches of the government to cut ‘non-essential spending’ and therefore, unless the country sees spending on Islamic seminaries as ‘essential’, the financing of Islamic seminaries in countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh would register a steep decline.

The closing down of holy sites of Islam shows that the Saudi government is too rational to see funding of Islamic seminaries as essential, and therefore, funding is bound to decline.

However, this would also weaken Saudi’s status as the leader of the Islamic world, given the fact, its economy, dependent on the export of petroleum, has no bright future ahead.

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Boko Haram Terrorists Kill 92 Chadian Soldiers: President

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau releases a video pledging to continue attacks

The soldiers were attacked on Monday on the island village of Boma in the swampy Lake Chad zone in the west of the country, where the armies of Chad, Nigeria and Niger have been fighting the Islamist militants for years. "I have taken part in many operations ... but never in our history have we lost so many men at one time," Deby said during a visit to the site on Tuesday

N'DJAMENA: Boko Haram militants killed 92 Chadian soldiers and wounded 47 more in the deadliest attack ever on the country's military, President Idriss Deby said late on Tuesday.

The soldiers were attacked on Monday on the island village of Boma in the swampy Lake Chad zone in the west of the country, where the armies of Chad, Nigeria and Niger have been fighting the Islamist militants for years.

"I have taken part in many operations ... but never in our history have we lost so many men at one time," Deby said during a visit to the site on Tuesday.

Footage on state TV showed Deby, who has ruled Chad since 1990 and survived several rebellions and coup attempts, walking among the charred remains of burned-out vehicles.

The Boko Haram insurgency, which erupted in northeast Nigeria in 2009, has killed more than 30,000 people and forced about 2 million to leave their homes.

Further afield in Mali, Burkina Faso and western Niger, al Qaeda and Islamic State-linked militants are expanding their presence and have killed hundreds of troops over the last six months.

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At Least 70 Nigerian Soldiers Killed In Jihadist Ambush: Military Sources

Two military officers told AFP on condition of anonymity that Islamist insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades and heavy guns at a truck carrying troops as it travelled near Gorgi village in Borno state on Monday

KANO: At least 70 Nigerian soldiers were killed in an ambush on their convoy by jihadist fighters in the restive northeast of the country, military and security sources said Tuesday.

Two military officers told AFP on condition of anonymity that Islamist insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades and heavy guns at a truck carrying troops as it travelled near Gorgi village in Borno state on Monday.

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Somali Islamists Claim 7 Aircraft Destroyed In Attack On A Military Base Used By The US In Kenya

NAIROBI: Somali Islamist terrorists said they destroyed seven aircraft and three vehicles on Sunday in an attack on a military base in Kenya's Lamu county used by both US and Kenyan troops, although their account could not be independently verified.

In a statement, the al-Shabaab group said the attack, launched at dawn, was continuing hours later and said their fighters were engaging US troops in close-quarters combat.

"Seven aircraft and three military vehicles were destroyed in the attack," said the statement, which included photos of aircraft ablaze and an al-Shabaab militant standing nearby.

In a tweet, the US Africa Command confirmed an attack on the Manda Bay Airfield had occurred. It said it was monitoring the situation and would provide an update "as facts and details emerge".

Kenya sent troops into Somalia in 2011 after a spate of cross-border attacks and kidnappings. They were later absorbed into an African Union peacekeeping force, now 21,000-strong, that supports the shaky, Western-backed Somali government against which al-Shabaab has waged a protracted insurgency.

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US Re-Designates Pakistan, China As Countries of Particular Concern On Religious Freedom

Pakistan, China, Myanmar, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and other countries were placed in the list for having engaged in 'systematic, ongoing religious freedom violations.'

WASHINGTON: The US has re-designated Pakistan and China among seven other countries that are of particular concern for violation of religious freedom, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday.

Pakistan and China along with Myanmar, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan were placed in the list for having engaged in or tolerated "systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom," Pompeo said.

The Department renewed the placement of Comoros, Russia and Uzbekistan on a Special Watch List (SWL) for governments that have engaged in or tolerated "severe violations of religious freedom," and added Cuba, Nicaragua, Nigeria, and Sudan to this list.

Sudan was moved to the SWL due to significant steps taken by the civilian-led transitional government to address the previous regime's "systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom."

US also designated al-Nusra Front, al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qa'ida, al-Shabab, Boko Haram, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan, and the Taliban as Entities of Particular Concern.

"These designations underscore the United States' commitment to protecting those who seek to exercise their freedom of religion or belief," Pompeo said.

"We believe that everyone, everywhere, at all times, should have the right to live according to the dictates of their conscience.

We will continue to challenge state and non-state entities that seek to infringe upon those fundamental rights and to ensure they are held to account for their actions," he said.

This month, the US Government announced designations of 68 individuals and entities in nine countries for corruption and human rights abuses under the Global Magnitsky Act, among them four military leaders of Myanmar were responsible for serious human rights abuses against the Rohingya Muslims and other religious and ethnic minorities, he said.

"In October, we placed visa restrictions on Chinese government and Communist Party officials who are believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, the detention or abuse of Uyghurs, Kazakhs, or other members of Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang, China," Pompeo said.

"Our actions have been and will continue to be, consistent with our position on religious freedom.

No country, entity, or individual should be able to persecute people of faith without accountability.

We have acted, and we will continue to do so," he said.

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Trump's Counter Terrorism Strategy Identifies LeT, TTP As Potential Threat To U.S.

"These groups, including Boko Haram, Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and the Lashkar-e Taiba, employ a range of political and terrorist tactics to undermine local governments and conduct attacks," it said.

WASHINGTON: Pakistan-based terrorist outfits -- the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- are among radical Islamist groups identified as a potential threat to the US in the Trump administration's new counter-terrorism strategy.

In addition to the ISIS and al-Qaeda, dozens of other radical Islamist terrorist groups are working to advance more locally focused insurgent or terrorist campaigns, while still posing a threat to United States persons and interests overseas, said the National Strategy for Counter-terrorism released by the White House on Thursday.

"These groups, including Boko Haram, Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan and the Lashkar-e Taiba, employ a range of political and terrorist tactics to undermine local governments and conduct attacks," it said.

The LeT is responsible for carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people. It has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014.

According to the strategy, these organisations will probably prioritise regional goals over attacks against the homeland or United States interests because of resource constraints or political considerations.

"However, many of these groups are hostile to the United States, maintain networks of sympathisers around the world, and retain ties to the ISIS or al-Qaeda, underscoring their potential threat to United States interests," said the strategy, according to which radical Islamist terrorists remain the primary transnational terrorist threat to the US and its vital national interests.

Prominent terrorist organisations, particularly the ISIS and al-Qaeda, have repeatedly demonstrated the intent and capability to attack the homeland and United States interests and continue to plot new attacks and inspire susceptible people to commit acts of violence inside the United States, it said.

"These groups stoke and exploit weak governance, conflict, instability, and longstanding political and religious grievances to pursue their goal of eliminating Western influence in majority Muslim countries and remaking Islamic society," the strategy said.

Radical Islamist terrorist groups have developed and used methods that have challenged the US counterterrorism efforts, including establishing state-like governing institutions within their safe havens, deploying sophisticated explosive devices to defeat aviation security measures, and using high-quality media products to recruit extremists in the West, it said.

Future radical Islamist terrorists and other terrorists will continually adapt these and other tactics to their circumstances and the technological advances of the age.

"It is, therefore, critical that the United States counterterrorism posture be agile enough to adapt as well," said the strategy.

Radical Islamist terrorists have a violent extremist ideology that serves to create a common identity and sense of purpose for those susceptible to its core message, it alleged.

"This vile ideology is used to indoctrinate new recruits to accept terrorist groups' goals and directives without question, and also allows these groups to maintain cohesion, ensure conformity, and justify the use of violence to meet the ideology's goals.

"It avails terrorists of a world view that helps unify their efforts by fomenting conflict and attempts to legitimize terrorism by elevating the social status of group members and absolving individuals from culpability for their participation in violence," it said.

The ISIS, the strategy, said remains the foremost radical Islamist terrorist group and the primary transnational terrorist threat to the US, despite ongoing us and coalition civilian and military efforts that have diminished the group's footprint in Iraq and Syria, killed thousands of its members, and curtailed its global expansion.

"The ISIS retains the financial and material resources and expertise to launch external attacks — including against United States interests — and its senior leaders continue to call for attacks against the United States," it said.

Meanwhile, al-Qaeda's global network remains resilient and poses an enduring threat to the homeland and United States interests around the world, the strategy said.

Consistent United States-led counterterrorism pressure has removed many of its senior leaders and reduced the group's ability to operate in South Asia, but its affiliates continue to plan and carry out terrorist attacks against the United States and our allies, as well as raise funds from individual supporters through the international financial system, it said.

"Affiliate resources are primarily focused on local and regional conflicts, but key operatives and elements within the network continue to seek out new opportunities to strike the homeland and United States interests and to inspire attacks inside the United States.

"Veteran al-Qaeda leaders are working to consolidate and expand the group's presence in several regions, including in Syria, from which it aspires to launch new attacks against the United States and our allies," said the strategy.

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