Tag Archives: Iraq

Training in support of security sector reform

Posted on April 12, 2021 by Gary Cordner

The EU is currently supporting security sector reform in missions in Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, staffed by 2,000 personnel from 27 countries. A recent review found that the biggest challenge for mission staff is “working at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Europe, Middle East | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Policing since the Arab Spring

Posted on October 1, 2020 by Gary Cordner

This article reviews police reform efforts across the Arab world since 2011. Policing in the region remains focused more on protecting state control than on protecting and serving people, but modest changes have taken place in several countries. Some reforms … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Middle East | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Global terrorism in 2019

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Gary Cordner

Worldwide, annual terror attacks and deaths have both dropped by about 50% between 2014 and 2019, as reported here. In 2019, the 5th consecutive year of decreases, 8,500 attacks resulted in 20,300 deaths. Afghanistan accounted for 21% of global attacks … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe, Middle East, North America, Oceania, South America | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Local policing in Iraq

Posted on July 9, 2020 by Gary Cordner

This column discusses the current status of local policing in Iraq. Security forces, federal police, and militias continue to operate in the country while provincial police have suffered from political manipulation and have “struggled to assert their authority over an … Continue reading →

Posted in Middle East | Tagged | Leave a comment

Context matters in police reform

Posted on June 28, 2020 by Gary Cordner

Police reform measures promoted around the world, including in conflict zones, often incorporate best practices as understood in developed countries. However, local conditions vary dramatically. This article presents a typology of four scenarios based on patterns of violence and who … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

18,000 trafficked artifacts seized

Posted on August 12, 2019 by Gary Cordner

This article reports a coordinated international investigation, Pandora III, that has resulted in the seizure of 18,000 illegally trafficked cultural artifacts and the arrest of 59 individuals. Besides Europol and the World Customs Organization, the Spanish Civil Guard led the … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Middle East, South America | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Europol counter-terror efforts

Posted on July 19, 2019 by Gary Cordner

An interview with Catherine De Bolle, Europol executive director and former commissioner general of police in Belgium, is available here. She discusses counter-terror developments in Belgium following the 2016 attacks in Brussels and current EU-wide initiatives including those focused on … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Middle East, North America | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Terrorism at lowest level since 2002

Posted on February 28, 2019 by Gary Cordner

Global terrorism has been decreasing steadily since 2002. The number of terror attacks decreased 19.8% in 2017, following drops of 9.2% and 11.5% in the preceding two years, according to this article. Terrorism-related deaths declined 24.2% in 2017 following drops … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe, Middle East, North America, Oceania, South America | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Shifting face of international terrorism

Posted on January 2, 2019 by Gary Cordner

Counter-terrorism efforts directed mainly at ISIS, Al Qaeda, and the Middle East will need to shift attention to Russian-speaking individuals and networks in the coming years, according to this article. Terror groups that previously resisted oppressive governments in their own … Continue reading →

Posted in Asia, Europe, Middle East, North America | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Transition to local police service in Iraq

Posted on November 14, 2018 by Gary Cordner

This press release announces the beginning of post-ISIL transition in Iraq from security forces to local police, prioritizing “Police Core Functions: 1) Security and Protection Management, 2) Crime Management, 3) Traffic Enforcement Management, 4) Improving Effectiveness of Local Police Service … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, Middle East | Tagged , | Leave a comment