The Jordan Armed Forces Specializes in Countering Ideological Extremism and Terrorism BRIG. GEN. TALAL ALI AL-GHEBEEN, DIRECTOR OF MORAL GUIDANCE, JORDAN ARMED FORCES Ideological extremism and terrorism represent a global phenomenon that threatens global security and stability. It is a danger that has grown over the past 20 years, does not recognize borders or distinguish between ethnicity or religion. Its most significant feature is the speed with which it spreads and the differing and varied methods it uses to spread its ideology and reach different countries. Tremendous technological development has contributed to this state of affairs. Jordan was one of the…
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Vice Adm. Fahad Al-Ghofaily has spearheaded the modernization of Royal Saudi Naval Forces UNIPATH STAFF Admiral” derives from the old Arabic words emir al bahar, which literally mean “commander of the sea.” The title was historically linked to naval leaders who used the sea as their field of victory. A famous saying reads: “A smooth sea never makes a skilled Sailor.” The sea is known for being volatile, turbulent and unpredictable. A ship requires a skilled Sailor who tightly manages the helm, alert to the dangers of sailing and aware of enemies maliciously and relentlessly immobilizing ships and laying mines. In…
UNIPATH STAFF Iraq launched phase three of Operation Iraqi Heroes in June 2020 to sweep 4,483 square kilometers of Salah al-Din governorate in search of Daesh remnants. The goal was to capture terrorists, destroy their bunkers, remove explosives, and promote security and stability in the region. Remnants of Daesh have recently become more active and carried out sporadic attacks in the governorate, targeting security forces and civilians alike. When Daesh was defeated in December 2017 and lost the Iraqi territories it occupied, many fighters fled to remote, unpopulated regions. Taking advantage of the Iraqi security forces’ preoccupation with overseeing COVID-19…
In far-flung villages and under complete darkness, strong winds and torrential rains whipped the armed personnel carriers of the Sultan of Oman’s Armed Forces. Oman dispatched troops to Dhofar governorate, centered on the city of Salalah, to help alleviate suffering caused by a tropical cyclone that struck in May 2020. The Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defense provided humanitarian assistance to residents of Dhofar. While the country’s 11th Infantry Brigade patrolled the region, the Royal Air Force of Oman carried out rescue operations for those trapped in cities and villages. Military engineers within the Ministry of Defense drained floodwaters…
UNIPATH STAFF Working together to solve a regional security issue, the armed forces of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan held a counterterrorism exercise called Commonwealth 2020 in March 2020. During the four-day exercise at Fakhrobod training grounds in southern Tajikistan, Uzbek Minister of Defense Bakhodir Kurbanov and Tajik Minister of Defense Sherali Mirzo expressed satisfaction at the joint display of combat effectiveness. Participants eliminated a hypothetical terrorist group, conducted a hostage-rescue operation, and repelled a simulated attack by illegal gangs at the Tajik-Uzbek border. Border guard units and the Tajik Air Force played a supporting role. This was the third major anti-terrorist…
UNIPATH STAFF They are unknown Soldiers, engaged in a war no less devastating than traditional wars, employing the same methods and approaches, tracking enemy activities and collecting information to foil adversaries’ plots to kill innocent people. These untraditional Soldiers are members of Jordan’s Anti-Narcotics Department (AND). They are fighting an enemy that kills slowly using the soft weapons of illegal narcotics. In simultaneous operations conducted in June 2020, the department arrested 26 suspected drug dealers in the region of Amman and Zarqa. “The employees of AND are exerting great efforts around the clock to track down and pursue drug dealers…
UNIPATH STAFF Kyrgyzstan has enlisted the help of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to strike a balance between reintegrating ex-foreign fighters and ensuring these one-time terrorist sympathizers don’t undermine Kyrgyz security. Kyrgyz Justice Minister Marat Jamankulov and U.N. representatives met in June 2020 to discuss how the country can rehabilitate militants returning from conflict zones. Jamankulov has assigned implementation of the repatriation plan to the country’s State Penitentiary Service and Ministry of Justice. Speaking at the meeting, Jamankulov expressed hopes that Kyrgyzstan would develop a system combining oversight by probation officers with rehabilitation led by social workers.…
UNIPATH STAFF The fighter squadron’s roar broke the silence over the North Sea, leaving vapor trails that drifted away on a pleasant breeze of early summer. Qatari pilots sat behind the controls of Eurofighter Typhoons, advanced fighter jets that Doha is purchasing for $6.3 billion. In preparation for delivery of the 24 fighters in 2022, British Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots from an air base in Coningsby, England, taught their Qatari counterparts how to fly the jet. The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, multirole fighter manufactured by a consortium of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo. The flags of Qatar and…
UNIPATH STAFF To implement Vision 2030 put forward by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has sought to localize military procurements and reduce reliance on foreign partners to equip its forces. The country envisions sourcing half its armaments from domestic companies. The United Arab Emirates has also focused on locally sourcing its weaponry. In the case of Saudi Arabia, that goal could prove to be ambitious: As of 2018 the Saudi had procured only 2% of its military equipment from domestic sources. The Saudi General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) and the state-owned holding company,…
UNIPATH STAFF Uzbekistan expressed support for reintegrating Afghanistan into the economies of Central Asia, an important component of long-term Afghan stability that would benefit the whole region. Addressing the topic of Afghan reconstruction, Uzbek Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulaziz Kamilov met in Tashkent with two U.S. officials engaged in Afghan affairs: Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad and International Development Finance Corporation CEO Adam Boehler. The trio emphasized the expansion of ties among the three countries, particularly in light of a successful trilateral Uzbekistan-USA-Afghanistan meeting in May 2020. Boehler expressed appreciation for Uzbekistan’s leadership in regional economic development, including…