Living in fear of Lakurawa - the militant group Trump targeted in Nigeria strikes

Makuochi OkaforBBC Africa

Gift Ufuoma/BBC
Buildings in Nukuru village were damaged by the ferocity of the missiles that struck 10km away on Christmas Day

Deep fear has long pervaded the arid savannah plains and highlands of north-western Nigeria - even before the US air strikes on the Islamist militants who have made this area their base on Christmas night.

The heavily armed jihadists, who dress in camouflage and wear vibrant turbans, have lived in camps in Tangaza, a remote area of Sokoto state near the border with Niger, for several years.

They belong to a group called Lakurawa and hail from areas north of Nigeria in the Sahel.

Locals in Tangaza, a community made up of mainly moderate Muslims, believe they come from Niger and Mali - and are terrified of them.

Recently, both US and Nigerian authorities have said the militants are affiliated to Islamic State (IS) groups in the Sahel - though IS has not linked itself to any of the group's activities or announced ties to Lakurawa as it has done with other groups in the region that it backs.

When the BBC visited Nukuru, one of several remote villages in Tangaza around 10km (six miles) from where the US missiles struck, most people were deeply suspicious and did not want to talk about Lakurawa - fearing reprisal if they spoke.

It was only after assurances that their identities would be kept anonymous that some men agreed to be interviewed, speaking in hushed tones.

We had travelled into the dangerous area, about 12km from the Niger border, on Saturday under police escort and with extra security personnel for protection.

The police do not usually venture into this region as they say they do not have enough fire power to confront the militants should they come under attack.

Our team was not able to reach the site of the strikes because of ongoing security risks - and was advised not to stay too long in the area so as not to allow the militants time to plant land mines along our exit route.

A farmer, who lives not far from Nukuru, said shortly after the strikes on Thursday night, some fleeing militants converged on his community.

Gift Ufuoma/BBC
The police provided a security escort from Sokoto city to the remote village of Nukuru - a journey of around 70km


"They came on about 15 motorcycles," he told the BBC, explaining that there were three fighters to each bike.

He heard them phoning others, urging them to leave quickly, before escaping on motorbikes.

"It seems they were devastated - we were afraid too," he said. "They were not carrying any dead person, they just carried some luggage."

It is unclear if there were any causalities in the strikes on the two camps ordered by US President Donald Trump.

But the residents of Nukuru - a tiny hamlet with around 40 mud-walled and thatched houses and clay granaries used to store the crops harvested a few months ago - can vouch for the ferocity of the missiles.

"The doors and roof were shaking, old roofs were torn," a 70-year-old man told us.

"We couldn't sleep because everywhere was shaking. We couldn't figure out what it was, and we heard things falling from the sky, and then there was fire."

Gift Ufuoma/BBC
The residents of Nukuru village have had to pay taxes to Lakurawa militants for several years


Yet the villagers fear the militants will be able to regroup. They are agile and use motorbikes to move quickly cross the region's rough and rugged terrain.

It is not hard to see how the group has been able to gain a foothold here as there is very little sign of a government presence.

There are no visible schools, hospitals or paved roads. Much of the terrain can only be reached using vehicles capable of navigating rough desert paths.

In Nukuru, the villagers' main means of transport appeared to be donkeys.

They said that by day the Lakurawa militants come into the community - having established themselves as the de facto governing authority.

The farmers and villagers have no option but to agree to their terms and taxes as the Islamists are well-armed. If they do not comply, they are attacked and their livestock is stolen.

The farmer who spoke to the BBC said the fighters passed through his hamlet most days on their way to other communities.

"We knew they are Lakurawa because of their dressing," he said, describing their camouflage uniforms and their turbans usually worn by men in desert areas of Mali and Niger.

Amongst themselves the militants spoke Fulfude - the language of the Fulani ethnic group spoken in many West African countries - but communicated with the locals in Hausa, the lingua franca of the region, he said.

At night, the fighters go back to their isolated camps, which are on higher ground and give them a good vantage point over the plains. No women or families are thought to be living in these makeshift bases.

When Lakurawa initially arrived in the largely Muslim states of Sokoto and Kebbi, the group presented itself as a religious force that wanted to help a vulnerable community in an insecure region.

Nigeria faces an array of complex security issues. For the past 15 years, it has been the north-east of the country that has suffered from a devastating Islamist insurgency at the hands of jihadist groups such as Boko Haram.

The kidnap gangs, jihadists and separatists wreaking havoc in Nigeria

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But more recently swathes of the country's north-west have been terrorised by criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, who make money by kidnapping and holding people for ransom.

When Lakurawa moved into communities along the Niger-Nigeria border, it prompted the bandits to move elsewhere.

At first, this is thought to have ingratiated the group with some locals - but this was short-lived. People in Tangaza area say the religious militants became heavy-handed, and began enforcing harsh rules and spreading fear.

A resident of Nukuru spoke about the hard-line, strict Muslim ideology the militants have imposed - including banning things they deem to be against Islamic Sharia law.

"We cannot live freely," the young man told the BBC. "You cannot even play music on your phone - they will not only confiscate it, but also punish you."

Music is seen as distracting from religious duties or encouraging of immoral behaviour by some highly conservative Muslim sects - and offenders have been flogged.

Some Lakurawa militants are thought to have married into border communities - keeping their families away from the camps - and recruited young people.

Some of these recruits are used as informants, while others help the militants trade or gather supplies from residents.

Gift Ufuoma/BBC
These granaries are used to store crops harvested after the rainy season


The strikes on Thursday were the second time the group has been targeted in operations on a Christmas Day.

Last Christmas, Nigeria's military launched an attack against them near Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa, several kilometres from Nukuru. Around 10 civilians were killed.

A month later, several days after Trump's inauguration, the Nigerian government designated the group a terrorist organisation.

The militants were accused in court documents of cattle rustling, kidnapping for ransom, hostage-taking and attacks on senior government officials.

The move gave the government sweeping powers to take strong actions against the group.

When Trump announced his Christmas Day strikes, he said it was because the group was "viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even centuries".

Nigeria's Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar has been at pains to point out that the recent strikes were a "joint operation" and "nothing to do with a particular religion".

Most of the villagers and farmers who live in the shadow of the militants are Muslims, not Christians.

But should the US-Nigerian operation be able to dismantle Lakuwara's hold over their lives, it is clear they will be grateful to be free of the terror.

Additional reporting by Abayomi Adisa and Gift Ufuoma




More BBC stories on Nigeria's security crisis:

Banking on repression: How Russia weaponized its “terrorist” list against political dissidents

Ivan Astashin
28 December 2025

THE INSIDER

In early December, a new criminal case was opened against Yabloko party deputy chairman Lev Shlosberg, who almost immediately ended up on Rosfinmonitoring’s “list of terrorists and extremists.” Since June, the list has increasingly begun to include not only defendants in “terrorist” and “extremist” cases, but also those merely charged under articles concerning the spread of “fake news” and the “discrediting” of the Russian army. The 20,000 or so Russians who have been named face severe restrictions on the use of banking services, making it all but impossible to live and work normally. In order to simply survive, they are forced to switch to cash payments and to keep money in foreign currencies — preferably not at home.


Content

No card, no bank account, no work permit


“Cards are not allowed, but you still have to pay the debt”


20,000 “terrorists”


Using other people's bank accounts


EU: beyond the reach of Rosfinmonitoring


“Keep money in foreign currency in a stocking and away from home”

Several months ago, an opposition blogger, Vladimir (name changed at the interviewee’s request), was released from prison after serving a sentence on charges of making public calls in support of extremist and terrorist activity. Now, even though he is “free,” starting a new life has proved impossible — his name will remain on Rosfinmonitoring’s “list of terrorists and extremists” for the next eight years, and until then, he must find a way to survive with extremely limited access to the Russian banking system.
No card, no bank account, no work permit

“The ‘list of terrorists and extremists’ does not allow me to get a bank card from any bank. It turns out I am simply not entitled to be issued one,” Vladimir explains in a conversation with The Insider, noting that because he cannot open a bank account, he also cannot find a job.

In practice, even if an employer is willing to hire an “extremist,” the issue of wages immediately arises, and almost all firms in Russia now pay employees via transfers directly to a bank card. Vladimir says he tried to negotiate a compromise option — to open a so-called universal account without a card, but even if an institution agrees, such an account comes with strict limitations.




Politician Lev Shlosberg, who was recently listed by Rosfinmonitoring


“I was told bluntly: you can open an account, but without a card and with a limit of 22,440 rubles ($284) — that is, no more than the monthly minimum wage. And just renting a room costs me 16,000 ($203),” he says.

At the same time, Vladimir emphasizes, the restriction applies regardless of actual income. Even if an employer were theoretically willing to pay more, there would still be no way to use that money. “Whether it’s 100,000 ($1,266) or 300,000 ($3,797) — I’ll still only be able to withdraw those 22,440. It’s impossible to live with such a limit,” he complains.

But according to Vladimir, things rarely even get that far. As soon as employers realize that a candidate cannot have a regular bank card, the conversation ends immediately. “Sometimes I try to explain that I don’t want a card — for example, because of unpaid loans. But almost always the answer is the same: we need a card in your name. And if you’re on the list, it’s a refusal,” Vladimir says. He tried to find work as a porter, in security, at any unskilled job — but without success. “Employers are afraid. No one wants to deal with the police again, let alone the FSB.”

Employers are afraid; no one wants to deal with the police again, let alone the FSB


In the first weeks after his release, Vladimir says, he was supported by volunteers who help people in his situation raise money and find housing. Later he had to turn to friends and relatives. “I’m ashamed to say this, but there were moments when I literally had nothing to eat,” Vladimir admits.

This story is a vivid example of how inclusion on Rosfinmonitoring’s list turns into a separate form of punishment that continues even after release. A person leaves prison but in effect remains without the basic tools needed for a normal life.

The same restrictions apply even to those who were merely fined for activities falling under “extremist” and “terrorist” articles. And starting in 2025, they have also been applied in cases involving “fake news” and “discrediting” the army. As human rights defenders told The Insider, 57-year-old activist Svetlana Zotova, who was sentenced to a 330,000-ruble ($4,177) fine over two comments she made on Telegram, is also unable to obtain a bank card.
“Cards are not allowed, but you still have to pay the debt”

Another example of how the list functions as an automatic punishment is the story of gender studies researcher and former DOXA editor Daria Manzhura. In November 2024, Rosfinmonitoring added her to the “terrorists and extremists” list. By that time, Manzhura was already outside Russia and learned about her inclusion after the fact.

“In Russia, everything was immediately blocked for me. They didn’t warn me, didn’t explain anything. I tried to log into the T-Bank app, but access was already gone,” Manzhura tells The Insider.

In addition, Manzhura found herself in a paradoxical situation with an unpaid loan. Bank cards and regular accounts were unavailable, but the bank nevertheless demanded that her obligation on the loan be fulfilled. “I asked them: how do you imagine that I fulfill this? They replied that I had to top up a special account to repay the loan. Basically, cards are not allowed for you, but you still have to pay off the debt,” she says.






The bank sent the details on how to perform a cashless transfer of rubles. “But how exactly I was supposed to send them rubles while being abroad and without accounts in Russia, no one, of course, clarified,” she adds. For some time, bank employees insisted on full repayment of the amount, but then stopped responding, apparently fearing the consequences of accepting money from a “terrorist/extremist.” The sum in question was about 20,000 rubles ($253).

Manzhura’s story shows that inclusion on Rosfinmonitoring’slist deprives a person of the tools to manage their money — but it does not relieve them of their financial obligations to banks.
20,000 “terrorists”

As of the end of December 2025, Rosfinmonitoring’s list includes more than 800 organizations and almost 20,000 people (for comparison, that is more than the membership of Al-Qaeda and ISIS combined). In theory, the list is supposed to include only those for whom there is information indicating involvement in extremist activity or terrorism. In practice, it is one of the harshest extrajudicial mechanisms available for restricting the rights of those who oppose the Putin regime.

The list appeared in 2001 alongside Federal Law No. 115-FZ “On Countering the Legalization (Laundering) of Proceeds from Crime and the Financing of Terrorism.” Initially, it was conceived as a financial monitoring tool — primarily for banks, so that they could track possible financing of real terrorism. For a long time, the list was classified: only law enforcement agencies and financial institutions had access to it.

The list became public in 2011, when Rossiyskaya Gazeta published its open section. At that time, it contained around 1,500 people. Even then, as human rights defenders noted, a significant share of those included in the list had no connection whatsoever to the financing of terrorism or to violent crimes.

A significant share of the people included on the list as far back as 2011 had no connection whatsoever to the financing of terrorism or violent crimes


On July 1, 2013, new provisions of Law No. 115-FZ came into force that radically changed how it was applied. Banks and other financial institutions were effectively stripped of the ability to allow individuals on the list to receive any income, regardless of its source or purpose. Wages, pensions, benefits, and social payments all became subject to blocking.

That same year, Larisa Romanova, an expert in international and constitutional law, founded the informal “Movement to Defend Victims of Rosfinmonitoring’s Actions”, which brought together opposition figures whose accounts had been blocked. In December 2013, Romanova’s movement submitted a petition to the UN office in Moscow against Rosfinmonitoring’s list.

The petition stated that more than two thirds of the people on the list were not connected to the financing of terrorism and that many of them had found themselves in a vulnerable financial position. According to the authors, the authorities were using anti-money-laundering and counterterrorism legislation for large-scale economic repression of a political nature, including by depriving people of the ability to work officially and earn income.

Romanova, who herself ended up on the list, notes that from the very beginning inclusion took place extrajudicially and without a clear appeals procedure. “They immediately began adding people prosecuted for ‘verbal extremism’ — someone wrote something, spoke out, posted a video. That is, people who had nothing to do with mafia-type criminal communities or real terrorism involving killings and hostages,” she says.

As a result of the petition and appeals to lawmakers, in December 2013 the authorities adopted “mitigating amendments” that allowed those on the list to use part of their frozen funds — up to 10,000 rubles per month for the person themselves and 10,000 rubles ($127) for each family member without independent income. It also became permissible to pay taxes, fines, and mandatory charges. However, the key restrictions remained: banks were required to refuse to open accounts or to issue cards to such people.

As Romanova points out, from the outset the mechanism did not comply with international standards for combating the financing of terrorism. According to her, the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) envisage individualized restrictions subject to judicial oversight, with the possibility of humanitarian exemptions. The Russian model, by contrast, was originally constructed as an extrajudicial system of “disenfranchisement.” “FATF became a convenient cover for a repressive practice that quickly went beyond the fight against real terrorism,” Romanova says.

Over time, the grounds for inclusion on the list were consistently expanded. It began to include not only those who had been convicted on the relevant charges, but also suspects and defendants — people for whom no verdict had yet been handed down. Financial restrictions in such cases were applied automatically at the investigation stage.

Now the list includes not only those who have been convicted on relevant charges, but also suspects and defendants


Another major set of amendments came into force on June 1, 2025. Law No. 115-FZ introduced new grounds for inclusion on the list — cases involving “fake news” and “discrediting” the army (along with a number of other offenses provided that investigators believe there are “motives of political, ideological, national, or social hatred” involved). As a result, the formal status of a “terrorist or extremist” can now be assigned to a person who has merely been accused, for example, of making an antiwar statement.

In practice, this means that inclusion on Rosfinmonitoring’s list is increasingly becoming not a consequence of a verdict, but an independent form of punishment. A person can be deprived of access to the banking system even before trial, and in the event of a guilty verdict, the restrictions remain in place until the criminal record is expunged — that is, for years after release from prison.
Using other people's bank accounts

Kirill (name changed at the subject’s request) left Russia for Armenia in 2022. He had served a sentence under a “terrorism” article and was released in 2018. Kirill’s name still remains on Rosfinmonitoring’s list — and this fact largely governs his life, even abroad.




Armenian bank ABB


In Armenia, Kirill tells The Insider in an interview, he had no trouble obtaining a residence permit — the first two for one year each, and the third one for a five-year period. He registered as an individual entrepreneur. But he still ran up against the same wall as in Russia – banks.

“I couldn’t open an account at a single bank. There are just under thirty of them in Armenia, and I went to all of them,” Kirill says.

In some banks they would not even accept his documents, citing requirements such as proof of income, which he could not possibly provide. In others, they simply refused without explanation. Only at one non-capital branch of Ararat Bank was an account for him initially approved. He even signed the documents, but the next day they called back and asked him to come in again.

“They said they had received a call from Yerevan and were told to close the account and not open anything else for this person. Naturally, no one explained the reason,” Kirill recalls.

He cannot prove that the refusal is connected specifically to Rosfinmonitoring’s list — officially, banks do not state reasons, but the coincidence, he says, is too obvious. After all, he had exactly the same problems in Russia.

As a result, as he did in Russian, Kirill receives his salary via other people’s accounts. “There was simply no other way,” he says.

Problems also arose with international payment services. For example, Payoneer initially opened an account for him, completed all checks, and approved a card. But then, without explanation, everything was blocked — including funds that had already been credited.

“I wrote to them every week, to every possible address. Only after nine months was I allowed to withdraw the money — and immediately afterward they wrote that the account was permanently blocked,” he recalls.

At the same time, other services behave differently. According to Kirill, Wise remains the only stable option (albeit without a card). But even here there are limitations: without a bank card in one’s own name, it is impossible to link or activate many other payment systems.

Another telling episode dates back to Kirill’s life in Russia. He bought a car but was unable to register it in his own name, as no insurance company would agree to issue him a policy. One insurance agent did nevertheless try to help — she manually entered his data and issued the policy. But the next day, Kirill says, she called him in a panic and asked him to submit a refusal. “I’m being threatened with losing my certificate and my job because of the person I entered into the system,” the agent told him.

In the end, the car had to be registered in another person’s name, as did just about everything else.

“It’s not just banks. It’s insurers, employers, any systems where money is involved. Because, generally speaking, no one wants to transfer money to a ‘terrorist’ — that’s the whole answer,” Kirill sums up.

Lawyer and founder of the Roskomsvoboda project, Sarkis Darbinyan, explains that the problems faced by people on Rosfinmonitoring’s list outside Russia may be linked not to direct decisions by local authorities, but to the structure of international and regional financial compliance. According to him, even after Rosfinmonitoring’s membership in the international financial intelligence network Egmont Group was suspended, data that had already been transmitted continued to circulate within closed banking compliance systems and are still used when screening potential clients.

In addition, Russia retains channels for exchanging financial information through bilateral agreements and regional cooperation formats with certain countries, including many in the post-Soviet space. In such cases, banks may rely not on court rulings, but on internal compliance “red flags” and signals, without disclosing to the client the reasons for refusal.

“Most international databases are closed to private people. They cannot gain access even to their own data or find out why they were flagged, — not even in order to file an appeal or request a correction. This system is opaque and not subject to appeal,” Darbinyan notes.
EU: beyond the reach of Rosfinmonitoring

Unlike in Russia and a number of post-Soviet countries, in EU member states inclusion on Rosfinmonitoring’s list in itself does not entail automatic financial restrictions. European banks and payment services do not use the Russian register as a legal basis for blocking potential clients — and in practice this is confirmed by the experiences of people who have ended up on the list but live in the EU.

That’s why Daria Manzhura, who lives in the EU, has not encountered any problems with banks. “In the EU, no one froze my accounts — there were no questions at all,” she says.

A similar situation applies to another former DOXA editor, Maria Menshikova, who lives in Germany. After her inclusion on Rosfinmonitoring’s register, she received a notification from PayPal about the closure of her account. However, this concerned the Russian account of the service. “The European PayPal account linked to local accounts was not touched. Banks also made no moves whatsoever,” Menshikova detailed in a conversation with The Insider.

Even more illustrative is the experience of anarchist Denis Kozak. Despite the fact that he is still listed by Rosfinmonitoring in a case on the “justification of terrorism,” after moving to Germany he had no difficulty opening an account at the state-owned bank Sparkasse. “There were no questions at all,” he says.

Feminist Zalina Marshenkulova, who was also added to Rosfinmonitoring’s register and lives in the EU, explains that her Vivid card was temporarily frozen several times, but each time it was restored without consequences. “Revolut has never blocked me,” she notes.

At the same time, accounts belonging to Russians in EU countries are indeed periodically frozen, but as a rule this is done on grounds not directly related to Rosfinmonitoring’s list. Thus, former State Duma deputy Gennady Gudkov, who was added to Russia’s “terrorists and extremists” list in 2024, told the BBC Russian Service about the closure of accounts in a Bulgarian bank and one French bank. According to Gudkov, the institutions explained that the action was related to his status as a politically exposed person (PEP) — someone who previously held senior public office and is therefore subject to enhanced financial scrutiny.

Account blocks affecting Russians in EU countries do indeed occur, but as a rule they are not linked to Rosfinmonitoring’s list


Gudkov left Russia back in 2019, long before his inclusion on Rosfinmonitoring’s list. In a conversation with the BBC Russian Service, he emphasized that European banks were interested in the origin of his funds and his ties to state structures. His Russian status as a “terrorist or extremist” did not feature in the banks’ official explanations.
“Keep money in foreign currency in a stocking and away from home”

Larisa Romanova stresses that people included on the list still have no real mechanism for protecting their rights. According to her, it is impossible to be removed from the register before a person’s criminal record is expunged. “Law No. 115 from the outset did not provide for either an appeals procedure or temporary exemptions. And it still does not,” Romanova says.

The only notable easing of the law — the 2013 provision allowing those named to conduct banking operations with the limit set at the country’s minimum subsistence level — came not as a result of systematic legal reform, but after direct appeals to lawmakers, Romanova says. “We achieved this by getting an appointment with Valentina Tereshkova. No further concessions have appeared in the law since then,” she notes.

In practice, Romanova says, this means that for people on the list the only way to survive is to rely on cash. She also offers advice to those who risk being added to the register: “Don’t keep much money in accounts — only in foreign currency, in a stocking and out of the house. Personally, this old Soviet rule saved me.”

CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M

Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi linked to scams: Authorities to seize more assets in Singapore

On Oct 14, the US and Britain announced sweeping sanctions on Cambodian businessman Chen Zhi and Prince Group, as well as their known associates.

PHOTO: PHNOM PENH POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

Dec 29, 2025


SINGAPORE - More assets in Singapore linked to Cambodian businessman Chen Zhi and his firm, Prince Group, may be seized after their existence was disclosed in a court hearing.

The Straits Times understands that the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) is looking to seize cheques of more than $3.7 million, bonds valued at over US$200,000 (S$257,000), and security deposits worth $362,200.

A former employee of Chen’s Singapore-based family office, DW Capital, had filed an application on Nov 18 for the release of funds from the family office, according to affidavits seen by ST.

The application in court was filed by the former human resources manager of DW Capital on behalf of the firm’s sole remaining director, Karen Chen Xiuling.

The former HR manager is understood to have made the application for the release of funds from DW Capital, high-value warehouse storage firm Capital Zone Warehousing, car financing firm Skyline Investment Management, and IT consultancy business Citylink Solutions.

All four firms are linked to the 38-year-old Fujian-born Chen, either directly or through his British Virgin Islands-registered family office, Global Treasure Development.

DW Capital, Capital Zone Warehousing and Skyline Investment Management are among firms sanctioned by the US Treasury. Citylink Solutions is not on the list.

Sydney could see army patrols after Bondi attack, New South Wales Premier says

ISLAMOPHOBIC WAR

Police officers patrolling Bondi Beach in Sydney on Dec 25.
PHOTO: AFP

Updated Dec 28, 2025

SYDNEY – Australia’s most populous state will tighten security across its capital Sydney following a deadly attack at Bondi Beach in December, with the authorities leaving open the possibility of military support as the country reassesses its counter-terrorism posture.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said on Dec 28 that residents should expect to see more police officers carrying long-arm firearms through New Year’s Eve and beyond as officials review security arrangements.

The remarks come two weeks after the Bondi terrorist attack, in which

two ISIS-inspired gunmen killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration.

Officials have called the Dec 14 massacre, carried out by a father and son, Australia’s worst terrorist attack. The father was killed in an ensuing shoot-out, while the son – identified as 24-year-old Naveed Akram – has been charged with 59 offences including murder and terrorism.

Mr Minns said the government was considering measures that include the potential deployment of troops, and confirmed that discussions on additional security options were ongoing. “We’re going to look very closely at security programmes and measures in the future,” Mr Minns said. “There’s a big challenge ahead of us to rebuild Jewish life in Sydney. So I’m not going to take anything off the table.”

Both the state and federal governments have rolled out a series of responses, pledging stronger action against extremism, including coordination with intelligence agencies and community leaders in the wake of the attack.

Last week, the Minns government convened an emergency session of Parliament to approve measures such as limiting the number of firearms an individual can own. The state is also banning the public display of extremist symbols such as an ISIS, Hamas or Hezbollah flag.

Syrian military deploys in coastal cities following violent clashes by former regime loyalists

Yenişafak 

 28/12/2025, Sunday


AAFile photo
The Syrian army moved into the centers of Latakia and Tartus on Sunday after armed groups linked to the ousted Assad regime targeted civilians and security forces. The Defense Ministry stated the operation aims to restore order amid escalating violence that has left several dead and dozens wounded during recent protests.

The Syrian Defense Ministry announced that army units, supported by armored vehicles, have been deployed to the central areas of the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartus. This security operation was launched to restore stability following attacks by armed groups affiliated with the former regime of Bashar al-Assad against civilians and state security personnel.

Escalation of Violence During Protests

The decision for a military deployment came after a sharp increase in violence on Sunday. Official Syrian media reported that three people were killed and at least 60 others were wounded in Latakia when remnants of the fallen regime attacked security forces and civilians during demonstrations. Similar protests, calling for federalism and opposing the Damascus government, were also reported in Tartus, Hama, and Homs.

Calls for Federalism and Regional Tensions

The protests were reportedly sparked by a call from Ghazal Ghazal, head of the Alawite Supreme Council, following a deadly mosque attack in Homs on Friday. Ghazal, known for his ties to the former Baathist government, urged supporters to demand "political federalism and international protection." Despite heavy security measures at the gatherings, some protesters in Latakia and Jableh assaulted security forces and damaged their vehicles.

New Administration Pursues Security Crackdown

This unrest presents a direct challenge to the new transitional administration under President Ahmad al-Sharaa, which was formed in January after Assad fled to Russia. The administration has pledged to tighten security nationwide and pursue elements of the former regime accused of stirring instability. The current military intervention in these key coastal cities underscores the ongoing struggle to establish control and secure the country after the end of the decades-long Baath Party rule.

Clashes erupt in Syria as Alawite minority protests deadly Homs mosque bombing


Clashes broke out on Sunday during rallies held by members of Syria’s Alawite minority in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous, as well as in other areas, following Friday's deadly bombing at an Alawite mosque in Homs. According to a war monitor, at least two people were killed when security forces tried to disperse the demonstrators.


Issued on: 28/12/2025 
By: FRANCE 24

Protesters from the Alawite religious minority in Latakia, Syria's coastal region, on December 28, 2025. © Omar Albam, AP

Clashes broke out on Syria’s coast between protesters from the Alawite religious minority and counter-demonstrators on Sunday, two days after a bombing at an Alawite mosque in the city of Homs killed eight people and wounded 18 others during prayers.

Thousands of protesters gathered in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous, and elsewhere. Officials have said that preliminary investigations indicate that explosive devices were planted inside the mosque in Homs, but authorities haven’t publicly identified a suspect yet in Friday’s bombing. Funerals for the dead were held on Saturday.

A little-known group calling itself Saraya Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on its Telegram channel, in which it indicated that the attack intended to target members of the Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam whom hard-line Islamists consider to be apostates.

Sunday’s demonstrations were called for by Ghazal Ghazal, an Alawite sheikh living outside of Syria who heads a group called the Supreme Alawite Islamic Council in Syria and the Diaspora.

Monitor claims two dead

An Associated Press photographer in Latakia saw pro-government counterprotesters throw rocks at the Alawite demonstrators, while a group of protesters beat a counterdemonstrator who crossed to their side.

According to The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least two people were killed as security forces tried to disperse the protests – and a medical source said two bodies had been taken to a local hospital.

Syrian authorities did not confirm they had opened fire but said they had “contained the situation”. They accused what they called “remnants” of former ruler Bashar al-Assad’s government of attacking security forces.

Syria’s state-run television also reported that two members of the security forces had been wounded in the area of Tartous after someone threw a hand grenade at a police station. Cars belonging to security forces were also set on fire in Latakia.

Waves of sectarian violence since Assad’s downfall

The country has experienced several waves of sectarian clashes since the fall of former president Assad in a lightning rebel offensive in December 2024 that brought to an end nearly 14 years of civil war. Assad, an Alawite, fled the country to Russia.

In March, an ambush carried out by Assad’s supporters against security forces triggered days of violence that left hundreds of people dead, most of them Alawites. Since then, although the situation has calmed, Alawites have been targeted sporadically in sectarian attacks. They have also complained of discrimination against them in public employment since Assad’s fall and of young Alawite men detained without charges.

During the rein of the Assad dynasty, Alawites were over-represented in government jobs and in the army and security forces.

Government officials condemned Friday’s attack and promised to hold perpetrators accountable, but have not yet announced any arrests.

(FRANCE 24 with AP and AFP)

Three killed in clashes in Syria after deadly Alawite mosque bombing

Thousands gathered in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous, and elsewhere, on Sunday.

Counter-protesters chant pro-government slogans at Alawite demonstrators (Omar Albam/AP) (Omar Albam/AP)

By Omar Albam,

 Associated Press

December 28, 2025 

At least three people have been killed in clashes on Syria’s coast between protesters from the Alawite religious minority and counter-demonstrators.

The violence came two days after a bombing at an Alawite mosque in the city of Homs killed eight people and wounded 18 others during prayers.

Thousands of protesters gathered in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous, and elsewhere, on Sunday.

Officials have said preliminary investigations indicate explosive devices were planted inside the mosque in Homs, but authorities have not publicly identified a suspect.

Protesters from the Alawite religious minority demonstrate in Latakia (Omar Albam/AP) (Omar Albam/AP)

Funerals for the victims were held on Saturday.

A little-known group calling itself Saraya Ansar al-Sunna claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on its Telegram channel, in which it indicated the attack intended to target members of the Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam whom hard-line Islamists consider to be apostates.

Sunday’s demonstrations were called for by Ghazal Ghazal, an Alawite sheikh living outside of Syria who heads a group called the Supreme Alawite Islamic Council in Syria and the Diaspora.

An Associated Press photographer in Latakia saw pro-government counter-protesters throw rocks at the Alawite demonstrators, while a group of protesters beat a counter-demonstrator who crossed to their side.

Security forces tried to break up the two sides and fired into the air in an attempt to disperse them.

Syria has experienced several waves of sectarian clashes since the fall of former president Bashar Assad (Omar Albam/AP) (Omar Albam/AP)

Syria’s state-run television reported two members of the security forces were wounded in the area of Tartous after someone threw a hand grenade at a police station, and cars belonging to security forces were set on fire in Latakia.

Later, state-run news agency Sana reported a member of the security forces was killed by gunfire. Local health officials said three people were killed and 60 others wounded.

The country has experienced several waves of sectarian clashes since the fall of former president Bashar Assad in a lightning rebel offensive in December 2024 that brought to an end nearly 14 years of civil war.

Assad, an Alawite, fled the country to Russia.

In March, an ambush carried out Assad supporters against security forces triggered days of violence that left hundreds of people dead, most of them Alawites.

Protesters from the Alawite religious minority demonstrate in Latakia (Omar Albam/AP) (Omar Albam/AP)

Since then, although the situation has calmed, Alawites have been targeted sporadically in sectarian attacks.


They have also complained of discrimination against them in public employment since Mr Assad’s fall and of young Alawite men detained without charges.

During the rein of the Assad dynasty, Alawites were overrepresented in government jobs and in the army and security forces.

Government officials condemned Friday’s attack and promised to hold perpetrators accountable, but have not yet announced any arrests.

Security member killed during protests calling for ‘federalism’ on Syria’s coast

Security source says gunmen attacked forces guarding demonstrations in coastal and central cities

Anadolu Staff |28.12.2025



LATAKIA, Syria / ISTANBUL

A Syrian security member was killed and others were wounded after gunmen attacked security forces assigned to protect demonstrations calling for “federalism” in coastal and central parts of the country, local media said.

Demonstrations took place in the coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, as well as in the central provinces of Hama and Homs, according to an Anadolu correspondent. The protests followed a call by Ghazal Ghazal, head of the Alawite Supreme Council in Syria and abroad.

The state-run Alikhbariyah TV reported that “outlaw elements” opened fire on civilian vehicles in the village of al-Mahrousa in western rural Hama as security forces deployed to protect civilians.

Citing an unnamed security source, the channel said one member of the Internal Security Forces was killed and others were wounded while securing protests in Latakia after attacks carried out by remnants of the former regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Crowds gathered at several locations, including Azziraa and al-Azhari roundabouts in Latakia; Amara Roundabout and Hospital District Roundabout in the city of Jableh; al-Marija Roundabout in Qardaha; and al-Qusour Roundabout in Baniyas.

Protests were also reported at al-Saadi Roundabout in Tartus, as well as in Masyaf, Wadi al-Dhahab, Imam Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque Square and the Zahraa neighborhood in Homs, and the Wadi al-Uyun area in Hama province.

During the demonstrations, which were held under tight security measures, protesters chanted slogans calling for “federalism” and voiced opposition to the government in Damascus.

Some protesters in Latakia and Jableh attacked security personnel and their vehicles despite heightened security.

Clashes involving sticks and stones erupted between demonstrators and opposing groups in the centers of Latakia and Homs, while security forces fired shots into the air at some locations to disperse crowds.

Ghazal issued his call for protests after a deadly attack on a mosque in a predominantly Alawite neighborhood of Homs on Friday that killed eight people. In statements following the attack, he urged supporters to demand “political federalism and international protection.”

The new Syrian administration is working to tighten security conditions nationwide and to pursue remnants of the former regime accused of stirring security unrest.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963. A new transitional administration headed by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in January.

Israeli Occupation Forces intrude into Syrian territory, detaining 6 people

QNA/Damascus

 December 29, 2025 

The Israeli occupation forces renewed their incursion into Syrian territory on Sunday, detaining six people.The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said that the Israeli forces detained these young men from the Daraa governorate as they were searching for wild mushrooms in farmlands near the town of Qudna, in the southern Quneitra countryside.SANA added that the occupation forces transferred the detainees to the Tal Al Ahmar Al Gharbi military base, with no information available regarding their fate or the reason behind their detention.The Israeli forces, driving four military vehicles, also carried out an incursion into Saida Al Hanout village in southern Quneitra countryside, where it detained a local young man.

Israel Detains Santa amid Raid on Haifa Christmas Celebration

• 
  December, 26, 2025 - 

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Israeli police have arrested a Palestinian man dressed as Santa Claus during a raid on a Christmas celebration in the northern city of Haifa.

On Sunday, officers moved to shut down the event, seizing sound equipment and detaining three individuals, among them a man dressed as Santa Claus, a DJ, and a street vendor, while video footage circulating online captures police pushing the men to the ground and handcuffing them as onlookers watched.

In a statement, Israeli police claimed the man wearing the Santa Claus outfit resisted arrest, Al Mayadeen reported.

The Mossawa Center, a rights group that advocates for Palestinians from the territories occupied in 1948, said police used excessive force and carried out the raid on the music hall without legal authority.

Palestinians marked Christmas across the occupied West Bank and Gaza amid ongoing restrictions imposed by Israeli forces on daily life.

In Beit Lahm, celebrations took place for the first time since the outbreak of war on Gaza, with marching bands playing bagpipes through the streets of Jesus’ birthplace. Worshippers attended Mass at the Church of the Nativity, while children sang carols as the city lit up with festive decorations.

In Gaza, where over 70,000 people have been killed and much of the infrastructure destroyed by Israeli bombings, a small Christian community held its first Christmas celebrations since a fragile ceasefire began, with Christmas trees and glitter adding bursts of color amid the rubble scattered across the Strip.

Despite the holiday, Israeli operations continued. Israeli settlers uprooted olive groves in Turmus Ayya near Ramallah, and Israeli soldiers raided homes and seized vehicles near al-Khalil, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. Attacks targeting Christians have also increased, with a report in March documenting 32 assaults on church properties and 45 physical attacks against Christian individuals.

Israel Reframing the Iran Threat

By RFE/RL staff - Dec 27, 2025

• Israel now views Iran’s ballistic missile program as a more urgent threat than its nuclear activities, citing lessons from the June conflict.
• 
  
• Netanyahu is pressing Washington to treat missiles as weapons of mass destruction and to consider strikes on Iranian missile production infrastructure.
• 
  
• Iran insists its missile program is non-negotiable, while analysts warn that enforcement and monitoring would be extremely difficult even under a new agreement.
• 
  

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares to meet US President Donald Trump in Florida on December 29, the agenda centers on Iran -- with a twist.

Israel is laser-focused on Iran’s ballistic missile program, which it views as the most urgent existential threat after the US-Israeli strikes severely damaged Iran's nuclear infrastructure during a 12-day aerial campaign in June.

This shift highlights a growing US-Israel divergence. Trump has repeatedly described Iran's nuclear threat as "obliterated," crediting wartime bombings of sites in Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz. Israel agrees the program is set back by a year or two.

However, it warns that missiles -- which Iran is working to amass -- could soon overwhelm defenses, as demonstrated when 36 out of 550 missiles struck Israeli soil in June, causing widespread damage.

Missiles As 'Immediate' Priority

Israeli officials, speaking to NBC News and Axios, describe Iran's missile ramp-up as "more pressing" than its nuclear program.

Israel says the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has carried out drills and has warned Washington that Tehran might use the exercises as cover for surprise attacks.

This comes amid contradictory reports in Iran over whether missile tests are actually taking place. Iranian media, including the IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency, reported on December 22 that the armed forces were conducting drills, with users on social media sharing videos and footage of contrails in the skies over central and western Iran. However, the state broadcaster swiftly denied the reports, citing an unnamed "informed source" who insisted the contrails were from "high?altitude aircraft" and claimed that no exercises were underway.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief Eyal Zamir hinted at readiness for new strikes against Iran "wherever required," prioritizing production lines that Israel fears could churn out 3,000 missiles annually.

Netanyahu plans to present Trump with strike options -- Israeli-led, joint, or US-backed -- arguing missiles enable proxy wars via Hezbollah and Houthis while shielding Iran’s nuclear revival.

Farzin Nadimi, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that Israel is pressing the United States to reclassify missiles as weapons of mass destruction.

“Israel is trying to shift this view, using the recent war's experience to convince the United States that Iran's missile capabilities are as existentially threatening as its nuclear ones,” Nadimi said.

He noted US reluctance, viewing nukes as the core danger, now degraded, but added, “From Israel's standpoint, these should count as weapons of mass destruction for its people.”

Nadimi warned that total missile destruction could force a doctrinal pivot in Tehran.

“If Israel fully destroys Iran's offensive missile capabilities... it would either have to surrender or make a fundamental doctrinal shift,” he said, adding that Iran's technical path to nuclear warheads remains feasible in a secure lab using 90-percent enriched uranium stocks.

Iran’s Missile Red Line

Iran has long maintained that its missile program is non-negotiable, asserting it is purely defensive. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei reiterated this on December 22:

“The defensive capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran have been designed with the aim of deterring aggressors from any thought of attacking Iran. Under no circumstances are they a matter that can be discussed or negotiated.”

Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, noted that while the United States and Israel may want different things from Iran, they converge on one point: “Iran is weakened now, so it's time to extract more concessions.”

Iran has capped the range of its missiles at 2,000 kilometers, though in recent months it has hinted it could increase the limit if it deems necessary. Azizi said the United States and Israel want Iran to reduce the range of its missiles -- a non-starter for Tehran.

Even in the unlikely scenario of an agreement on Iran’s missile program, he noted that Washington is aware enforcement would be difficult, given the absence of any international monitoring body or safeguards regime for missile programs.

Against this backdrop, Azizi argued that missiles serve as pressure leverage:

“First, to make Iran fully abandon [uranium] enrichment on its soil; second, to secure concessions on arms transfers to groups such as Hezbollah or the Houthis.”

Iranian Media Gleeful Yet Concerned

Israeli rhetoric around Iran’s missile program has been met with a mixture of delight and alarm in Iranian media.

Highlighting Iran’s pace in replenishing its missile arsenal following the June war, the IRGC-affiliated newspaper Javan said Israel was “terrified” of Iran’s ability to launch hundreds of missiles in a potential conflict. The same sentiment was echoed by other hard-line outlets, such as Mehr news agency.

But others have urged caution. Bultan News argued that Netanyahu was exaggerating Iran’s ability to restore its missile stockpile to justify an attack. It added that Tehran must take the rhetoric seriously.

“Every piece of news or report that is published can be part of a larger puzzle. Distinguishing which news is real and which is psychological warfare is not easy. But making that effort is a national security necessity,” it argued.

By RFE/

Iran in ‘comprehensive war’ with US, Israel, Europe, president says

December 28, 2025 

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian speaks during a press conference after arriving at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran, Iran on September 27, 2025. [Iranian Presidency – Anadolu Agency]

Iran is in a state of “comprehensive war” with the United States, Israel, and Europe, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Saturday, Anadolu reports.

“We are in a state of comprehensive war with the United States, Israel, and Europe,” Pezeshkian said in an interview published on the official website of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

“This war is more dangerous, more complex, and more difficult than the war with Iraq” between 1980 and 1988, he added.

The Iranian leader accused the US, Israel and some European countries of supporting the collapse of Iran.

“The situation during the war with Iraq was clear: they fired missiles and we knew where to strike. But today, they surround us from all sides, apply pressure on us, obstruct our trade, and raise public expectations inside society in various fields.”

During a 12-day war with Israel in June, the US military struck three major Iranian nuclear facilities – Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan – using bunker-buster bombs.

The strikes came more than a week after Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran, killing senior military commanders and nuclear scientists and also targeting some nuclear sites.

ANTI ZIONIST PRO PALESTIAN LIBERATION 

Anti-Israel activists disrupt Boxing Day shopping in London, Toronto malls

Boxing Day mall protests in London and Toronto saw activists hang Palestinian flags and disrupt shoppers while demanding an arms embargo on Israel.

Demonstrators from the "Palestine Coalition" gather in support for Palestinians, after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza went into effect, in London, Britain, October 11, 2025.

(photo credit: REUTERS/JAIMI JOY)

By MICHAEL STARR

DECEMBER 28, 2025

JERUSALEM POST

Anti-Israel activists disrupted Boxing Day shopping in London and Toronto malls on Friday, demanding that the UK government free jailed activist vandals and that the Canadian government impose a two-way arms embargo on Israel.

Activists associated with Prayers for Gaza hung Palestinian flags and banners from the banisters in the Westfield Stratford City shopping center. As activists chanted for the release of Palestine Action vandals, fliers calling for the boycotting of all Israeli goods and services on Boxing Day were dropped from upper floors to the bottom of the shopping center.

Instagram posts by activists showed them struggling with security, who tried to pull their banners and flags from the banisters.

Prayers for Gaza said that the “takeover” of the mall was done to raise awareness about their demands to the UK government to cut defense industry ties, ban goods from Israeli settlements, and end the operations of Israeli defense firm Elbit Systems in the country.

The group also demanded the release of 24 Palestine Action activists jailed in connection with an August 2024 attack on Elbit Systems UK’s South Gloucestershire Horizon facility and the June raid on the Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire.

Seven of the Palestine Action activists had begun a hunger strike on November 2 in a bid to secure their release, expel Elbit subsidiaries from the country, and deprescribe their organization, but by Wednesday, three had ended their protest.

A woman walks with shopping bags on Oxford Street during Boxing Day sales, in London, Britain, December 28, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/Isabel Infantes)

Protests in Toronto

Toronto activists held a similar Boxing Day protest at the Eaton Centre, according to the Palestinian Youth Movement Toronto, also hanging banners from upper floors and dropping pamphlets to disrupt shopping.

A PYM representative said that protesters acted “on the busiest day for shopping day for so-called Canada” because while “people are spending money,” the Canadian government was supposedly sending weapon components to Israel.

“Demonstrators are demanding that the Canadian government impose a full, two-way arms embargo, close the US export loophole, and end Canada’s political and military support for Israel’s actions,” PYM Toronto said on social media.

Netanyahu ‘Wanted’ posters plastered across London

December 28, 2025 

MEMO

Pro-Palestinian protesters holding a pan with a photo of Netanyahu gather at Parliament Square during a demonstration calling for an end to the blockade on Gaza and a halt to arms sales to Israel in London, United Kingdom. 

[Raşid Necati Aslım – Anadolu Agency

Activists have plastered “Wanted” posters of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu across London’s buses, streets and busy landmarks in a protest highlighting his role in war crimes and genocide linked to the Gaza conflict, Anadolu reports.

The campaign, staged by pro-Palestine campaigners, depicts images of Netanyahu alongside text referencing an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant issued in November 2024, accusing him of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza since October 2023.

The Israeli army killed over 71,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in Gaza over a two-year period. Although a ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, Israel has not stopped its attacks.

Living conditions have also not significantly improved, as requirements such as agreed quantities of food, aid, medical supplies, and mobile housing into the enclave have not been met.

UK leader criticized for applauding return of man freed from Egyptian prison as old tweets resurface

A WHIFF OF SLANDER 

The U.K. prime minister is facing criticism after celebrating the return of human rights activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah from Egypt

FROM THE UK RIGHT WING

By DANICA KIRKA 

Associated Press
December 28, 2025


LONDON -- The U.K. prime minister is facing criticism after he celebrated the return to Britain of a human rights activist who was recently released from an Egyptian prison but whose past social media posts apparently contained violent and antisemitic language.

Successive British governments have campaigned for the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, a dual national who had been imprisoned in Egypt for most of the past 14 years. He returned to the U.K. on Friday after Egyptian authorities lifted a travel ban that had forced him to remain in the country since he was freed in September.

But a senior member of the opposition Conservative Party on Saturday criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer for giving a “personal, public endorsement” to Abd el-Fattah when Starmer said he was “delighted” the activist had been reunited with his family in Britain.

Robert Jenrick, the Conservative spokesman on justice issues, demanded to know whether Starmer knew about historical social media posts in which Abd el-Fattah allegedly endorsed killing “zionists’’ and police. Jenrick also called on Starmer to condemn Abd el-Fattah’s statements and withdraw his “unalloyed endorsement” of the activist.

“Nobody should be imprisoned arbitrarily nor for peaceful dissent,’’ Jenrick wrote. “But neither should the prime minister place the authority of his office behind someone whose own words cross into the language of racism and bloodshed."

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a statement that it had been “a long-standing priority” of governments under both major parties to work for Abd el-Fattah’s release. But that does not imply an endorsement of his social media posts, the spokesman said.

“The government condemns Mr. El-Fattah’s historic tweets and considers them to be abhorrent,” the statement said, using a slightly different style for his last name.

Abd el-Fattah’s family in the U.K. had vigorously campaigned for his release, arguing that he had spent most of the past 14 years behind bars because of his opposition to the government of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.


His mother, Laila Soueif, 69, staged a 10-month hunger strike to pressure British authorities to do more to secure her son’s release.

Starmer on Friday paid tribute to Abd el-Fattah’s family and all the others who campaigned for his freedom.


“I’m delighted that Alaa Abd El-Fattah is back in the U.K. and has been reunited with his loved ones, who must be feeling profound relief,” Starmer said.

But soon after Abd el-Fattah arrived at London’s Heathrow Airport, critics began circulating historical social media posts in which he appeared to endorse the killing of Zionists and police.

The Times of London reported that Abd el-Fattah has previously said the comments were taken out of context and were part of a “private conversation” that took place during an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Abd el-Fattah’s press team didn’t immediately response to a request for comment, and it was not immediately clear whether the posts were authentic.