Boko Haram attacks rise in Nigeria, and ISIS kills a Chinese citizen in Afghanistan
Dolores: Welcome to the Geopolitical
Report Daily for January 23, 2025.
Complete reports with casualty
information, interactive web maps, and
our IntelHub dashboard are available with
a Geopolitical Report Pro subscription.
65 events were mapped on Wednesday,
including several attacks in
Nigeria and an ISIS attack that
killed a Chinese citizen in
Afghanistan, so lets get started.
Terrorism,
Afghanistan
Tuesday evening, unidentified
gunmen killed a Chinese citizen in
the Dasht Qala area of the Khwaja
Bahauddin district, Takhar province.
An interpreter and driver of the
victim fled the scene and took
refuge at a Taliban checkpoint."
Afghanistan
Taliban have arrested six
individuals in Sar-e Pul Province
on charges of affiliation with IS-K.
The arrests were made during a
Taliban operation on Tuesday.
Taliban officials allege that the
detainees were involved in recent
and earlier attacks in Sar-e Pul,
including an attack targeting Shia
citizens during Muharram ceremonies."
"Afghanistan
Taliban authorities in northeastern
Afghanistan reported the death
of a Chinese national in a gun
attack, claimed by IS-Khorasan.
The victim was working for a mining
company and was ambushed while
traveling with his interpreter.
The Taliban and Chinese Foreign
Ministry are investigating the incident.
This is the first attack on a
Chinese national since December 2022.
China has been engaging with the
Taliban to prevent instability and
protect its interests in Afghanistan."
"Germany
A knife attacker in Germany killed
a two-year-old child and a man and
seriously wounded two others in
a public park in Aschaffenburg.
The suspect, a 28-year-old man from
Afghanistan, was arrested at the scene.
The attack targeted a group of
children from a daycare center.
Investigations into the motive are
ongoing, but the suspect is reported
to have had psychological issues
and received treatment in the past."
"India
A ready-to-use IED weighing a kilogram
was found and defused during an
anti-terrorist operation in Jammu
and Kashmir's Poonch district.
The operation was based on specific
intelligence input and is still ongoing."
"India
On Monday, Indian security forces killed
16 Naxal/Maoist insurgents during a
clash in Chhattisgarh's Gariaband."
"India
A Bangladeshi national arms dealer,
identified as Samajpriya Chakma,
was arrested in Agartala, Tripura,
on Tuesday night with a loaded 9 mm
pistol, ammunition, and currencies
of both India and Bangladesh.
Police made the arrest ahead of
Republic Day celebrations in India as
part of heightened security measures."
"India
On Wednesday, security forces
recovered and safely destroyed eight
five-kilogram improvised explosive
devices (IEDs) during a patrol on
the road from Mutvendi to Pidia,
Gangalur area of the Bijapur district."
"Iraq
On Wednesday, a security source reported
that Iraqi forces ambushed and killed four
Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists in the
desert area of western Al-Anbar province.
Troops also destroyed two vehicles
belonging to the terrorists."
"Iraq
The Iraqi Military Intelligence
Directorate announced that its
operatives arrested a woman in Kirkuk
who was responsible for distributing
financial support to ISIS families
and producing military uniforms
for the group in the region."
"Italy
Italian police have arrested Ossama
Anjiem, a Libyan warlord, on a warrant
from the International Criminal Court.
He is accused of alleged crimes in Libya,
including abuses in detention facilities.
Anjiem was arrested in Turin after
attending a soccer match on Sunday."
"Nigeria
On Monday, a Boko Haram IED blast
hit a vehicle in the village of
Sikarkur, Chibok Local Government
Area (LGA), killing several civilians,
including a mother and her child.
Many others suffered injuries
in the attack, and surrounding
buildings were damaged."
"Nigeria
The Islamic State in West Africa
Province (ISWAP) terrorists
executed the village head of Malam
Boulamari in the Diffa region.
Authorities believe the recent
execution is part of ISWAP's sustained
campaign of terror targeting local
officials and civilians in the area,
whom they accuse of collaborating with
the government or security forces."
"Nigeria
On Sunday night, suspected Boko Haram
terrorists invaded the village of Kawuri
in the Konduga Local Government Area
(LGA), setting fire to three Civilian
Joint Task Force (CJTF) patrol vehicles
and five Nigerian forces armored tankers.
Security forces repelled the terrorists.
As they fled the area, the
rebels planted IEDs along the
Konduga-Kawuri Road to prevent any
reinforcement of troops from Konduga.
On Tuesday, a CJTF soldier stepped
on one of the IEDs, killing him."
"Nigeria
Suspected Boko Haram terrorists
attacked the town of Gaidam
early Wednesday morning.
Nigerian forces killed one insurgent
during the attack and troops
recovered weapons from the rebels."
"Syria
A booby-trapped vehicle exploded near
the headquarters of the Al-Amshat
Faction of the Turkish-backed National
Army in Manbij City, eastern Aleppo.
The incident is reported to
have resulted in casualties."
"Syria
Gunmen affiliated with the former
regime attacked a Military Operations
Administration checkpoint in the Jableh
area, leaving two dead and two injured.
The attack occurred in the industrial
area at the entrance of Jableh city."
"Syria
On Tuesday, the Kurdish National Council
accused the Kurdish Democratic Union
Party (PYD) and the Syrian Democratic
Forces (SDF) of detaining and later
killing one of its members last Thursday,
January 16, outside the town of Qamishli.
The victim's body was
discovered on Sunday."
"Thailand
Sunday morning, southern insurgents
launched two M79 grenades at
a police station in the Kapho
district of Pattani province.
No one was killed or
injured in the attack.
One grenade damaged the roof of a house,
and another fell behind an apartment
in the police station compound."
"Ukraine
The SSU has detained two Ukrainian
residents, a 41-year-old nurse
and a 56-year-old driver, who were
working as agents for the Russian
Federal Security Service (FSB).
The agents were providing Russian
forces with information about Ukrainian
defensive positions and movement
routes of armored vehicle columns.
The suspects have been formally
charged with high treason
and face life imprisonment."
"West Bank
A drone armed with a pipe bomb
was discovered near the West
Bank settlement of Yitzhar.
The military neutralized the device and
is conducting further investigations."
"Yemen
The Houthi rebels have freed the crew
members from the ship Galaxy Leader after
being held for over a year following
its hijacking off the Yemeni coast.
The shipâs managers, STAMCO
Ship Management Co Ltd, had been
calling to release the 25 crew
members detained for seven months.
The crew includes Bulgarians, Filipinos,
Ukrainians, Mexicans, and Romanians.
The ship was also released."
Military Conflict
"Colombia
Colombian forces have moved into the
Tibu area, as ELN and FARC clashes have
killed 100 people and forced 20,000
people to flee across three regions.
Checkpoints have been set up in the
area, as they try to establish control."
"Gaza Strip
The IDF confirms that troops in
Gaza fired on threats during the
ceasefire with Hamas over the past day.
One incident resulted in the death of
a Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative.
In other areas, warning shots were fired
at masked suspects approaching troops.
The IDF emphasizes its commitment to
implementing the agreement and calls on
Palestinian civilians to obey instructions
and avoid approaching the forces."
"India
On Wednesday, the National Investigation
Agency (NIA) conducted extensive
searches at 16 locations across
Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand
in connection with the Chandigarh
grenade blast case from September 2024.
The operation has linked the incident to
Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed
Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh
of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI),
as well as US-based Harpreet Singh.
The raids spanned 14 locations
in Punjab, along with one each in
Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand."
"India
On Wednesday, security forces killed
two Maoist rebels during an operation
in the Bokaro district of Jharkhand.
Troops recovered one AK-47 rifle and
two INSAS rifles after the encounter."
"Myanmar
The Myanmar military launched
airstrikes on Nawnghkio despite China's
efforts to de-escalate hostilities.
The attacks targeted administrative
offices and a police station,
resulting in the deaths of
nine civilians over two days.
The TNLA confirmed that the
victims were all civilians."
"Myanmar
Clashes between junta forces and
Arakan Army (AA) insurgents continued
along the Arakan-Ayeyarwady Region
border, including Point-369 hill
and close to Chin Su village in
Yegyi Township, Ayeyarwady Region."
"Myanmar
Between January 13 and 19, clashes
between junta forces and the Arakan
Army (AA) insurgents continued in
the villages of Ka Myin Kan, Pain Yae
San, and Kyet Yae San in Ann Township.
During the fighting, AA rebels found
multiple junta corpses, captured an
unspecified number of junta forces, and
also seized weapons and ammunition."
"Myanmar
On Monday, junta forces conducted
a drone strike on the village of
Wah Bo in the Sittwe Township area,
destroying multiple civilian homes."
"Myanmar
The junta military significantly
increased security measures at the Sittwe
Airport after clashes with the Arakan
Army (AA) insurgents in the village of
Wah Bo on the outskirts of the Sittwe.
The junta deployed a battalion to the
township, placed troops throughout
the airport, established patrols, and
placed landmines around the airport."
"Nigeria
On Tuesday, Nigerian soldiers and
Community Protection Guards (CPGs)
launched an assault on terrorists to
reclaim the Tungar Yara community,
located approximately three kilometers
from the military cantonment
in Gwashi town, Zamfara State.
A fierce gun battle ensued on the
village outskirts, prompting the
army to call for reinforcements.
The operation resulted in the deaths of
11 terrorists and the injury of others.
No soldiers were killed;
however, two armored vehicles
were set ablaze by the te"
"Nigeria
Troops from Operation Fansan Yamma have
successfully eliminated 24 bandits,
including seven high-profile commanders
linked to the notorious Bello Turji
gang, during a week-long operation
in the North West region of Nigeria.
The operation targeted bandit
hideouts and operational hubs in
Sokoto State, resulting in the
destruction of key hideouts and the
recovery of weapons and ammunition."
"Russia
Operators of the 8th Regiment of
the Special Operations Forces of
Ukraine killed 21 and wounded 40
North Koreans attacking Ukrainian
positions in the Kursk region of Russia.
The DPRK military, fighting on Russia's
side, was held back for over eight hours
by the SOF operators and infantrymen."
"South Sudan
The Sudan People's Liberation Army in
Opposition (SPLA-IO) has been attacked by
the South Sudan People's Defense Forces
(SSPDF) in Western Bahr el-Ghazal State.
The fighting is a continuation of an
earlier incident in Western Equatoria.
The Ceasefire and Transitional Security
Arrangements Monitoring and Verification
Mechanism (CTSAMVM) has condemned the
clashes and appealed for dialogue."
"Sudan
Sudanese army forces have made
significant advances in Khartoum Bahri,
tightening their grip on the city.
Troops from the Signal Corps base launched
a major offensive, forcing Rapid Support
Forces (RSF) to withdraw eastwards.
The army has taken control of key
buildings, including the General
Intelligence Service buildings,
and is working to break the siege
on its command headquarters.
The distance between advancing
army units is now less than two
kilometers, marking a strategic
progression in the ongoing conflict."
"Syria
Turkish fighter jets have conducted
airstrikes on multiple locations in
eastern Aleppo, including Beir Hisu
village, Al-Tinah village, and Sarin
junction in the Ain Al-Arab countryside.
The airstrikes were accompanied
by artillery fire on the Teshreen
dam in Manbij countryside.
While no casualties have been reported,
the situation remains tense amid ongoing
protests against Turkish attacks."
"Syria
Ongoing clashes are taking place in
eastern Aleppo between Syrian Democratic
Forces (SDF) and Turkish-backed militias.
The fighting has resulted in 4
Turkish-backed militiamen killed
and 3 SDF fighters injured.
Heavy weapons and drones are
being used in the conflict."
"Syria
Clashes broke out between SDF forces
and gunmen affiliated with Sheikh
Al-Hafal in western Deir Ezzor,
resulting in injuries to four gunmen.
The incident occurred after the gunmen
attacked an SDF patrol in the area."
"Taiwan
Taiwan tracked 14 Chinese military
aircraft and five naval vessels
around its country between 6 a.m.
on Tuesday and 6 a.m.
on Wednesday.
12 aircraft crossed the Taiwan
Strait median line in the countryâs
northern, southwestern, and eastern
Air Defense Identification Zone."
"Ukraine
On January 22, 2025, Russian
forces carried out a series of
airstrikes on Kostiantynivka in
the Donetsk region, resulting in
one fatality and five injuries.
The attacks damaged residential buildings,
vehicles, and infrastructure, and
the wounded residents were diagnosed
with various injuries, including
blast trauma and shrapnel wounds."
"Ukraine
In the Kherson region, Russian
forces attacked workers of the State
Emergency Service twice, resulting
in one rescuer being hospitalized.
The Russian forces shelled a neighborhood
in Kherson, injuring a rescuer and
causing a fire in engineering equipment.
In the village of Bilozerka, a
fire and rescue unit was shelled,
damaging the building and roof.
Previously, a woman in Kherson
was injured when Russians shelled
the settlement of Nezlamne."
"Ukraine
On Tuesday, January 21, Russia launched
99 Shahed-type strike UAVs and decoy
drones at Ukraine from various directions.
Ukraine's defense forces successfully
shot down 65 drones and other types
of attack UAVs, while 30 Russian
decoy drones disappeared from radar.
The attack damaged various buildings
and institutions in several regions,
but no casualties have been reported."
"Ukraine
In the Kyiv region, Russian drones
were shot down by air defense forces.
One house was partially destroyed,
four others were damaged,
and a power line was damaged.
Fortunately, there were no
civilian casualties or hits
to critical infrastructure."
"Ukraine
Russian artillery shelling and air strikes
have hit the town of Kostiantynivka
in the Donetsk region, injuring a
74-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman.
At least five private houses, a
power line, a gas pipeline, and a
car were damaged in the attack."
"Ukraine
Russian troops attacked the Nikopol
district at night, causing destruction
at one of the enterprises and a
fire that rescuers extinguished.
The area was later hit by heavy
artillery after midnight, but
there were no casualties reported.
Additionally, a Ukrainian unit
destroyed a Russian UAV in the region."
"Ukraine
Ukrainian forces claimed to have
killed or wounded 1,950 Russian
soldiers over the past day.
Around 375 pieces of military equipment
were destroyed in the fighting."
"Ukraine
Two men were killed in Hoptivka
village in the Kharkiv region
due to a Russian drone strike.
The head of the Derhachi City Military
Administration confirmed this on Facebook.
The attack targeted
civilians traveling by car.
Unfortunately, two men died at the scene.
In a separate incident, a woman in
Kherson was injured by explosives
deployed by occupiers from a UAV."
"Ukraine
In the Sumy region, Russian strikes
injured five people, including a
5-year-old child, and damaged 25
private homes and business premises.
Over the past day, 296 attacks were
recorded, with air defense units
shooting down 26 Russian Shahed
UAVs on the night of January 22.
Investigators have opened criminal
proceedings over the incidents."
"Ukraine
In the Kherson region, two people
were injured due to Russian shelling.
A 41-year-old woman in the village of
Komyshany sustained blast injuries,
a concussion, and arm wounds.
She is in critical
condition at the hospital.
In the village of Bilozerka, a 61-year-old
man was attacked by a drone and
suffered blast injuries and a leg wound.
He sought medical attention and
was discharged for outpatient care.
The village of Mylove was also shelled,
resulting in the destruction of a
residential house but no reported
injuries among the local population."
"West Bank
The IDF has conducted an ongoing
raid in Jenin called Operation Iron
Wall, hitting over 10 terrorists.
Airstrikes were carried out, and
explosive devices were neutralized.
The operation is still ongoing.
The Palestinian Authority health
ministry reported nine dead in Jenin
and one fatality in a nearby village."
"West Bank
Troops of the Duvdevan commando unit, Shin
Bet agents, and other IDF soldiers killed
two Palestinian gunmen in the Wadi Burqin
area near the West Bank city of Jenin.
The troops used the ""pressure cooker""
tactic, escalating the volume of fire
against a building to flush out suspects.
After a four-hour exchange of
fire, the gunmen were killed."
"Yemen
The Yemeni government army has reported
thwarting an infiltration attempt by
the Houthi rebels in several areas,
including Taiz and Marib governorates.
According to the army, they inflicted
losses on the Houthi groups, forcing
them to flee, and responded to hostile
fire, resulting in injuries among both
the army personnel and the Houthis.
The Houthi militia has not commented on
these confrontations but announced the
killing of six of its members, including
a brigadier general, on Tuesday evening."
Political Conflict
"Colombia
The Colombian government has reactivated
arrest orders for 31 top leaders of
the National Liberation Army (ELN),
including its lead negotiator and
military commander, following a surge
in violence in the Catatumbo region.
The violence, which has killed at least
80 people and displaced thousands,
is a result of a turf war between the
ELN and dissident Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC) fighters
over control of strategic drug routes.
The government has suspended peace talks
with the ELN in response to the violence."
"Nigeria
On Sunday, two notorious
terrorists surrendered to
government forces in Katsina State.
The terrorists had been operating
in Batsari and Safana Local
Government Areas of the state.
The surrender took place during air and
ground operations in the area, during
which an unspecified number of militants
were killed, and 15 hostages were rescued.
Troops also recovered assorted
weapons and ammunition."
Civil Unrest
"West Bank
Border Police officers shot three
Palestinians in the Shuâafat
refugee camp near Jerusalem.
The Palestinians were hurling stones
at the officers during a riot.
Undercover officers opened fire on
three Palestinians who they believed
posed a threat to their lives.
The conditions of the Palestinians
are currently unknown."
Weapons
"Lebanon
IDF troops operating on the Lebanese
side of Mount Dov captured numerous
weapons, including anti-tank missiles,
rocket launchers, and machine guns.
The IDF remains deployed in some
areas of southern Lebanon as
part of a ceasefire agreement."
"Pakistan
Security forces in Pakistan intercepted an
arms-laden truck at the Ghulam Khan Border
Terminal, confiscating 26 M-16 Rifles,
292 magazines, 10,000 bullets, and more.
The seized weapons were packed
in Afghanistan and intended for
terrorist activities in Pakistan."
"Philippines
New Peopleâs Army (NPA) rebels
in Misamis Oriental fled their
stronghold in Balingasag, leaving
behind weapons including a
Russian-made AK-47 assault rifle.
The 58th Infantry Battalion recovered
the rebels' arms cache, which also
contained an explosive device.
A member of the Indigenous
Peoples community disclosed
the location of the camp."
Accidents
"France
A Piper PS-18 Super Cub plane, crashed
into a chalet in Méribel-les-Allues,
France, on Tuesday at around 5pm.
The incident occurred after the plane
collided with two paragliders in flight.
Unfortunately, the two people
on board the plane (aged 58
and 26) died in the accident.
The paragliders, who deployed their
emergency parachutes, survived the
incident with minor shock but no injuries.
An investigation is underway to
determine the exact cause of the crash."
"India
At least 11 people died in a rail
accident in India's Maharashtra state.
They disembarked from their train due
to a fire scare and were hit by another
passing train on the adjacent tracks.
Five others were injured.
Ambulances have been dispatched,
and arrangements have been
made to treat the injured."
"Iran
A military plane crashed in Kabudarahang
city, Hamadan province, and two pilots
suffered minor injuries and were taken
to medical centers for treatment.
The incident occurred around
10:30 am on Wednesday."
"Syria
Three individuals have been killed
in landmine explosions in Syria.
A member of the Military Operations
Administration died in Lattakia
and Idlib, while a National Army
member died in northern Aleppo.
All three incidents occurred
while dismantling war remnants."
Other Events
"United States
A 17-year-old student shot and
killed a 16-year-old student in the
cafeteria before turning the gun
on himself at Antioch High School.
Another student sustained a graze wound.
The motive is still unknown,
and an investigation is ongoing.
Antioch High School will be
closed for the rest of the week."
"South Korea
The Buddy Squadron exercise in
South Korea involved FA-50 and
KA-1 aircraft from South Korea, as
well as A-10 aircraft from the U.S.
Air Force.
The exercise aims to enhance
joint operations capabilities.
This is expected to be the last
exercise involving A-10s, as the U.S.
Air Force is withdrawing them in favor
of more advanced combat aircraft."
"Thanks for joining us for the January
23, 2025 Geopolitical Report Daily.
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