Death of Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi

One week ago today, President Joe Biden announced that ISIS chief, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi was killed, "remov[ing] a major terrorist threat to the world." Since the death of his predecessor, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019, Abu Ibrahim has acted as the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq. Qurayshi is said to have been groomed his whole life for a leadership position within IS. Prior to his death, the American government had offered a reward of around $7.3 for information on Qurayshi’s whereabouts or general intelligence.

The blast that killed Qurayshi and his family came from an American-led raid in Northern Syria. Biden promises that the death of their leader will set ISIS back significantly- greatly impacting the group's ability to function and progress. However, ISIS experts around the world hold a different opinion. This is a result of Qurayshi’s leadership and also the very organization of ISIS today. “Qurayshi is no Baghdadi.” His length of leadership seemed to impact the way in which he was viewed as a leader. Also, ISIS once controlled land almost as large as the UK. Now, they are acting almost as a guerrilla insurgency with confused and scattered leadership.

Comments

Dresden Museum Heist

In November 2019, 4,300 gems were stolen from the Green Vault Museum in Dresden in a high-profile burglary. The gems, which make up 21 different pieces, are worth more than 113 million euros and have impressive historical significance. Ministry of Culture officials have gone so far as to say that the jewels possess "priceless material value." Six men have been arrested in Germany and are facing charges. The defendants are all under the age of 30 and are charged with gang theft and arson, among other things. Each of the six men could serve up to 10 years in prison for the crimes they are accused of. These defendants are not only linked by their young age, but also by the fact that they share the same organized crime family, the "Remmo Clan". The Remmo clan is Germany's most notorious crime family and has plagued the country since the late 20th century. Each of the 6 Remmo Clan men were charged for their crimes and are now serving their sentences in German priso...

N4 GIP Event: Prioritizing Cross-Cultural Connections Through Storytelling

Narrative 4 is a cross continental organization built on the principal of providing students and artists with the opportunity to share their stories with one another, cultivating community and international empathy for those with differing realities. After having had the opportunity to participate and multiple story exchanges, it was incredibly illuminating to hear from our three panelists about the goals of N4 as well as their personal experiences with the organization. I was especially moved by the exchange between the students from the Bronx and the students from Ms. Castaneda’s school in Mexico. As both sets of students had been exposed to, and experienced consistent acts of unimaginable violence, the story sharing between these two groups was incredibly effective and impactful. Something else that really stood out from this event was the explanation of action steps that fulfilled N4's motto: Empathy Into Action. Prior to this event, the latter of those two felt ...

Drought Plagues Iran

While Hassan Rouhani closes out his term as President of Iran, the Islamic Republic is facing a serious water shortage. Rouhani has enlisted the government to aid areas that have been the most seriously impacted by the drought. Many report that the drought is a direct cause of global warming. I found it interesting that Iran, a country that supplies much of the world's oil (a fossil fuel), is experiencing first hand the effects of climate change, something that is caused- in part- by the burning of fossil fuels around the world. The drilling required to harness the oil has also impacted the natural landscape of the country, disrupting ecosystems and artificially carving away at the land. Because Iran’s economy, as well as the world’s oil needs rely so heavily on the exportation and distribution of oil, it is not as though Iran will implement tactics to minimize the exportation of this oil in the face of the drought. While the drought is certainly a result of environmental factors, ...

International Musings

Search This Blog