Eye on Extremism: June 16, 2025
Top Stories
Reuters: Israel-Iran battle escalates, civilians urged to evacuate target areas
Iran has told mediators Qatar and Oman that it is not open to negotiating a ceasefire with the U.S. while it is under Israeli attack, an official briefed on the communications told Reuters on Sunday. Israel's military, which launched the attacks on Friday with the stated aim of wiping out Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, warned Iranians living near weapons facilities to evacuate. Early on Monday, it said Israel's air force attacked surface-to-surface missile sites in central Iran. "Iran will pay a heavy price for the murder of civilians, women and children," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said from a balcony overlooking blown-out apartments where six people were killed in Bat Yam, a town south of Tel Aviv.
AP: Trump vetoed Israeli plan to kill Iran’s supreme leader, US official tells AP
President Donald Trump rejected a plan presented by Israel to the U.S. to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. The Israelis informed the Trump administration in recent days that they had developed a credible plan to kill Khamenei. After being briefed on the plan, the White House made clear to Israeli officials that Trump was opposed to the Israelis making the move, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment on the sensitive matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
CEP Mentions
Cipher Brief: The Houthi Balancing Act After Israel’s Attack on Iran
Edmund Fitton-Brown, CEP senior advisor, and Ari Heistein, CEP nonresident fellow, write: How will the Houthis respond to the devastating Israeli strikes on Iran? This moment could prove decisive for both the Iran-led axis and the Houthis’ role within it. Historically, the Houthis have demonstrated a high tolerance for risk. This approach has allowed them to achieve far more than many would have thought possible a decade ago. At the same time, they are strategic actors who consistently prioritize their position within Yemen above all else. With that in mind, there are three key reasons to assess that the Houthis will play a limited supporting role in responding to Israeli strikes on Iran, one that aligns with Tehran’s objectives but does not place them at the forefront of the response.
Deutsche Welle: Interview with CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler on Israel v. Iran
Israel and Iran are attacking each other for a third day with both sides threatening to escalate. Explosions have been reported from the Iranian capital Tehran. Ten Israelis were killed and more than 100 injured in Iranian missile strikes overnight, while a further barrage by Iran on Sunday afternoon was mostly intercepted by Israeli defenses.
Deutsche Welle: How close is Iran to getting a nuclear bomb?
However, Iran's uranium enrichment levels may be cause for concern. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran has accumulated than 400 kilograms (881 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60%. That level of enrichment far exceeds what is needed for civilian energy production — and is close to weapons-grade material. At 90% enrichment, those 400 kilograms would be weapons-grade — enough for approximately 10 nuclear warheads. "As confirmed by the IAEA, Iran accelerated its enrichment to 60%, plus [there has been] a rise in missile tests," security expert Hans Jakob Schindler from the Counter Extremism Project told DW. "You could say this was to further its negotiation position with the United States, but you could also look at it and say [Tehran] is running towards a [nuclear] bomb.”
SRF: Interview with CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler on Israel v. Iran (in German)
After Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities on Friday night, Iranian attacks against Israel resulted in deaths and great destruction. Did Israel underestimate Iran's capabilities for counter-attacks? Hans-Jakob Schindler, Director of the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), assesses the situation and explains what options Iran could now fall back on.
BR24: Israel vs. Iran: How long will the attacks last?
How long will this war last? BR24 will discuss this at 4 p.m. with ARD correspondent Katharina Willinger in Istanbul, who is monitoring the situation in Iran, and with security expert [CEP Senior Director] Hans-Jakob Schindler, who served for many years as a German diplomat in Tehran. The live stream can be found embedded above this article.
Tagesspiegel: Is a major war looming in the Middle East?
Following Israel's large-scale attack on Iranian nuclear facilities and military targets, Iran responded with massive drone and missile attacks on Friday. Both states are openly threatening further retaliation. Has the threshold for a conflagration in the Middle East inevitably been crossed? … Discussing: …Hans-Jakob Schindler, Senior Director of the Counter Extremism Project
Zeit Online: How the Arab states view the war
Following the Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities and military leadership, many Arab states are expressing alarm and criticizing Israel. This includes close Western partners such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates. In Jordan, Iranian drones that entered the country's airspace were intercepted by air defenses. Civilian air traffic was temporarily suspended for security reasons, as was the case in Lebanon and Iraq. Saudi Arabia calls Israel's actions a "clear violation of international law." Egypt, Oman, and Lebanon also warn of a regional escalation. In Yemen, the Houthi militias threatened consequences. They have already attacked Israel with drones and missiles in the past. Hans-Jakob Schindler, expert on security and terrorism, analyzes the concerns and hopes from the Middle East.
WDR: Aktuelle Stunde | 15.06.2025
CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler discusses the effects of Iran-Israel conflict on oil and gas prices.
tvn24: Teenagers planned attack. "The radicalization process can be interrupted at any stage"
The process of radicalization is common - says expert [CEP Senior Advisor] Jacek Purski from the Institute of Social Security and points out that despite this, we are not defenseless. People who have been recruited or fascinated by extreme circles can be helped, but you need a range of systemic tools for this. - There are absolutely no such activities in Poland - he said on TVN24.
Analysis
Jewish News Syndicate: Gaza: A weapon of mass distraction
The recent killing of eight staff members of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) by Hamas fighters, most of whom were Palestinians, underscores a long-standing truth that much of the world still refuses to confront: Hamas is not only Israel’s enemy. It is the enemy of the very people it claims to defend. For days, the GHF had warned of mounting threats. Now, tragedy has confirmed them. The GHF said on Thursday that eight of its “local team members and volunteers” had been killed when Hamas gunmen attacked a bus transporting its Gazan staffers, updating the death toll of five it announced the previous day.
New York Times: How the Israel-Iran Conflict Could Spiral Into More Turmoil
Will Israel be able to cripple Iran’s nuclear program, especially Fordo, one of the most critical uranium enrichment facilities, buried deep in the side of a mountain? Israeli fighter jets struck the site early on Saturday, Iranian authorities told the International Atomic Energy Agency. Will the strikes impel Iran to make a dash for a nuclear bomb, presuming it still has the capacity after the attacks on sites and the killing of Iranian scientists? Experts warn that Iran could withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which in turn could set off a regional nuclear arms race. (Israel is not a signatory to the treaty and has never confirmed it possesses nuclear weapons.)
When Israel announced Operation “Rising Lion” in the wee hours of Friday morning, it marked the first time in over 50 years that the country had declared war against a sovereign state, rather than against a terrorist organization operating from foreign soil, the West Bank, or Gaza. No small number of these organizations Israel has faced off against over the years were and are supported, funded, or even directly controlled by Iran, the country that now finds itself in Israel’s crosshairs.
United States
BBC: What we know about the attack on two Minnesota lawmakers
On Saturday, two state lawmakers from Minnesota were gunned down in their homes in what Governor Tim Walz called a "politically motivated assassination" attempt. The attacks left one politician dead and the other seriously injured. Police are hunting for a suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, who remained at large on Sunday evening. The attacks drew condemnation from across the political spectrum. President Donald Trump said in a statement that "such horrific violence will not be tolerated". US Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, called it "an attack on everything we stand for as a democracy".
Associated Press: Friends say Minnesota shooting suspect was deeply religious and conservative
The man accused of assassinating the top Democrat in the Minnesota House held deeply religious and politically conservative views, telling a congregation in Africa two years ago that the U.S. was in a “bad place” where most churches didn’t oppose abortion.
Reuters: Trump administration weighs adding 36 countries to travel ban, memo says
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is considering significantly expanding its travel restrictions by potentially banning citizens of 36 additional countries from entering the United States, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters. Earlier this month, the Republican president signed a proclamation that banned the entry of citizens from 12 countries, saying the move was needed to protect the United States against "foreign terrorists" and other national security threats.
Reuters: UN rights chief urges US to not use military force in anti-Trump protests
The U.N. human rights chief on Monday urged U.S. authorities to respect the right to peaceful assembly and refrain from using military force in the context of large protests against President Donald Trump's actions while in office.
Wall Street Journal: Far-Right Groups Buzz With Violent Talk on How to Respond to ‘No Kings’ Protest
A review of dozens of known far-right social-media accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers across leading platforms like X, Truth Social, and Telegram are posting about the “No Kings” rallies and encouraging their people to respond, in some cases with violence.
As U.S. Marines in camouflage fatigues patrolled downtown streets alongside armored vehicles last week, their rifles glinting under California sun, President Donald Trump elevated a once-fringe neo-Nazi concept to the center of American political discourse: "remigration." The theory— calling for mass deportation of non-white immigrants and citizens deemed "replacers"— has become the ideological engine behind the largest domestic military mobilization since the 1992 Los Angeles riots, with ICE raids now metastasizing into urban occupation. Trump is making an example out of the diverse community of Los Angeles, turning the city into a Petri dish for his dictatorship and police state fantasies.
Mother Jones: White House and DHS Share Image Apparently Created by White Nationalist
On Wednesday, the White House and the Department of Homeland Security shared a propaganda poster on official accounts on X and Instagram. It featured Uncle Sam urging Americans to “Report All Foreign Invaders” by calling the Immigration and Customs Enforcement tipline. The image was first circulated by a white nationalist who has recently defended use of the n-word and shared material from an explicitly neo-Nazi X account, according to a review of social media activity.
New York Post: Convicted terrorist who conspired to kill Americans was teaching kids at a NYC mosque
A convicted Al-Qaeda sympathizer who conspired to kill Americans in shopping malls and traveled to the Mideast to train with the terror group was teaching kids at a Muslim community center on Staten Island. Tarek Mehanna — who prosecutors say once vowed to wage armed jihad against Americans both here and abroad — began teaching Arabic and the Quran in January to children as young as 4 at the Muslim Community Center of Staten Island in West Brighton.
Newsweek: Company Bans White Supremacists From Renting Trucks
Penske Truck Rental said on Sunday that it had banned members of the white nationalist hate group Patriot Front from renting its vehicles. The company's decision comes after videos on social media showed masked members of Patriot Front fleeing in one of the company's yellow trucks after being confronted by a group of people in downtown Springfield, Missouri, on Saturday.
Canada
Reuters: G7 leaders in Canada to discuss Israel-Iran conflict, hope to avoid Trump clash
Group of Seven leaders will gather in the Canadian Rockies starting on Sunday with the Israel-Iran conflict expected to be high on the agenda, while host Canada is striving to avoid clashes with President Donald Trump. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says his priorities are strengthening peace and security, building critical mineral supply chains and creating jobs. But issues such as U.S. tariffs and the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine are expected to feature heavily during the summit.
France
Reuters: A far-right inspired murder forces France to wrestle with what counts as terrorism
Hichem Miraoui, a 45-year-old Tunisian barber, was at home in the south of France late in May, chatting on the phone with his mother and sisters, when a neighbour drove past and shot him dead on his doorstep. After killing Miraoui and shooting Kurdish neighbour Akif Badur in the hand, Christophe Belgembe posted four videos on Facebook, according to France's anti-terror prosecutor's office, known as PNAT. Bemoaning a state "unable to protect us, unable to send them home," Belgembe said he had "taken out two or three pieces of shit" and this was only the beginning.
Germany
Deutsche Welle: Germany raises security at Israeli, Jewish sites after strikes on Iran
Germany has increased protection of Jewish and Israeli institutions after Israel's latest strikes on Iranian targets, Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said. The chancellor said security services had already implemented the necessary measures. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt underlined the need for increased security measures for Jewish and Israeli institutions in Germany, citing the situation in the Middle East. "We will take security policy precautions to enable enhanced protection of Israeli and Jewish facilities in Germany," Dobrindt said. "We see this as a potential initial threat scenario that could arise from the situation in the Middle East." Meanwhile, the Israeli Embassy in Berlin has closed "until further notice," according to a post on X. The mission is reportedly Israel's second-largest diplomatic representation worldwide.
BR24: Relatives of IS prisoners demand repatriation to Germany
The relatives of ten German suspected IS prisoners in north-east Syria are calling on the German government to bring the men back to Germany. This is the result of an open letter submitted to BR. It was first reported by SWR. According to the Berlin deradicalization counselling centre "Grüner Vogel e.V.", which supports the relatives, the letter was sent to the Federal Chancellery, the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Foreign Office on Sunday. So far, the German government has only brought women and children back to Germany from camps in north-east Syria, most recently at the end of April. The Federal Foreign Office informed SWR in May that there were no plans to repatriate men.
Reuters: Germany hands Syrian doctor life for torturing Assad critics
A Syrian doctor who had practised in Germany was sentenced to life in prison by a German court on Monday for crimes against humanity and war crimes after he was found guilty of torturing dissidents in Syria. The 40-year-old, identified only as Alaa M. in accordance with German privacy laws, was found guilty of killing two people and torturing another eight during his time working in Syria as a doctor at a military hospital and detention centre in Homs in 2011 and 2012.
United Kingdom
Sky News: Career spy Blaise Metreweli to become first woman to head MI6
Career spy Blaise Metreweli will become the first woman to head MI6 in a "historic appointment", the prime minister has announced. She will take over from Sir Richard Moore as the 18th Chief, also known as "C", when he steps down in the autumn. Of the other main spy agencies, GCHQ is also under female command for the first time. Anne Keast-Butler took on the role in 2023, while MI5 has previously twice been led by a woman. Until now, a female spy chief had only headed MI6 - also known as the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) - in the James Bond movies.
Afghanistan
Amu: Haqqani Taliban implicitly warns of internal crisis within Taliban
Siraj Haqqani, the Taliban’s acting interior minister, has suggested that the Taliban risk spiraling into crisis if it continues to stray from its foundational objectives. In a recorded Eid speech shared Thursday, Haqqani urged unity “for the sake of Islamic and national causes,” adding that “forgetting our core goals has regularly led our country into crisis.” He emphasized reconciliation: “We do not hold grudges from the past, nor harbor distrust. Afghans must unite for peace and brotherhood.”
Amu: Taliban bar women under 40 from Afghan-Uzbek border market, traders say
Local residents and shop owners report that the Taliban’s “morality police” have recently barred women under the age of 40 from entering the shared market at the Afghan-Uzbek border in Termez. The restriction, they say, has sharply reduced customer traffic and disrupted cross-border economic activity. “In the past, families — women included — made up the bulk of our customers,” said one Afghan trader. “Now that young women are banned, our sales have dropped dramatically.”
Iran
CNN: Israel’s unprecedented attack shows Iran has become a ‘playground’ for the Mossad
Before Israel launched an unprecedented wave of strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities and top military leaders this week, its spies were already on the ground in enemy territory. Israeli intelligence agency Mossad had smuggled weapons into Iran ahead of the strikes, according to Israeli security officials, and would use the weapons to target Iran’s defense from within. The officials said Israel established a base for launching explosive drones inside Iran, and the drones were later used to target missile launchers near Tehran. Precision weapons were also smuggled in and used to target surface-to-air missile systems, clearing the way for Israel’s Air Force to carry out more than 100 strikes with upward of 200 aircraft in the early hours of Friday local time.
Reuters: Iran rejects ceasefire negotiations while under Israeli attack, official says
Iran has told mediators Qatar and Oman that it is not open to negotiating a ceasefire while it is under Israeli attack, an official briefed on the communications told Reuters on Sunday, as the two foes launched fresh attacks and raised fears of a wider conflict. "The Iranians informed Qatari and Omani mediators that they will only pursue serious negotiations once Iran has completed its response to the Israeli pre-emptive strikes," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the conflict.
Reuters: Iran says parliament is preparing bill to leave nuclear non-proliferation treaty
Iranian parliamentarians are preparing a bill that could push Tehran toward exiting the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the foreign ministry said on Monday, while reiterating Tehran's official stance against developing nuclear weapons. "In light of recent developments, we will take an appropriate decision. Government has to enforce parliament bills but such a proposal is just being prepared and we will coordinate in the later stages with parliament," the ministry's spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said, when asked at a press conference about Tehran potentially leaving the NPT.
Reuters: IAEA chief says no further damage at Iranian enrichment facilities
U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi provided an update on Monday on the situation at Iran's nuclear facilities after Israel launched military strikes and said there was no sign of further damage at the Natanz or Fordow enrichment sites. Grossi and the International Atomic Energy Agency he heads had previously reported that the smallest of Iran's three enrichment plants, an above-ground pilot plant at the sprawling Natanz nuclear complex, had been destroyed.
Israel
Reuters: Israel says it is on track for objectives after Iranian missiles hit Israeli cities
Iranian missiles struck major Israeli cities on Monday while Israel's prime minister said his country was on its way to eliminating "threats" from nuclear and missile facilities in Iran and civilian casualties mounted on both sides. After four days of conflict between the regional foes, Iran said its parliament was preparing a bill to leave the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), adding that Tehran remained opposed to developing weapons of mass destruction.
Israel on Sunday attacked dozens of sites in Iran — including energy sites, radar systems, and ballistic missiles and their launchers — and killed Iran’s top intelligence officers on the third day of its ongoing campaign against the Islamic Republic’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The Israel Defense Forces also bombed an Iranian refueling plane at Mashhad Airport in northeast Iran, some 2,300 kilometers (1,430 miles) from Israel, marking what it said was the most distant strike since the beginning of the operation.
New York Times: A Sprawling Israeli Intelligence Effort Underpinned the Iran Strikes
Israel’s wide-ranging strikes on Friday were the product of years of intense spy craft that enabled Israel to degrade Iran’s defenses while bombing sensitive nuclear targets and killing top personnel, according to three Israeli officials with knowledge of the operations. It was a multipronged operation that included deploying drones and other weapons smuggled into Iran by Israeli operatives, according to one of the officials and two senior Iranian officials with knowledge of the matter. Israel also identified and tracked the movements of the key scientists and military officials who were assassinated, including at least four senior commanders.
Washington Post: How Mossad covertly prepared Israel’s attack from deep inside Iran
By the time Israeli aircraft were streaking across the sky toward nuclear and military sites in Iran on Friday, secret commando teams, swarms of armed drones and explosives concealed in ordinary vehicles were emerging from hiding deep inside Iran and making their way toward slumbering targets. Among the targets were military commanders, nuclear scientists and leaders of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps — many of them “still in their beds, in their homes,” according to a senior Israeli security official with direct knowledge of the operation who provided previously unpublished details to The Washington Post.
Wall Street Journal: How Israel’s Mossad Smuggled Drone Parts to Attack Iran From Within
By the time Israel’s advanced F-35 jet fighters swooped in to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities and military leadership, a lower-tech threat had already crossed the border and was in position to clear the way. Israel had spent months smuggling in parts for hundreds of quadcopter drones rigged with explosives—in suitcases, trucks and shipping containers—as well as munitions that could be fired from unmanned platforms, people familiar with the operation said. Small teams armed with the equipment set up near Iran’s air-defense emplacements and missile launch sites, the people said. When Israel’s attack began, some of the teams took out air defenses, while others hit missile launchers as they rolled out of their shelters and set up to fire, one of the people said.
Times of Israel: Ballistic missile launched from Yemen at southern Israel
A ballistic missile has been launched from Yemen at Israel, the military says. Sirens are expected to sound in southern Israel in the coming minutes.
Reuters: Israel says missile launched from Yemen fell in Hebron; at least 5 Palestinians hurt
The Israeli military said on Friday a missile that was launched from Yemen towards Israel fell to earth inside the city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, adding that no interceptors were involved. At least five Palestinians, including three children, sustained injuries from the missile's sharpnel that fell in Hebron, the Palestinian Red Crescent said in a later statement.
Lebanon
Naharnet: Report: Handover of Palestinian arms to begin from south Lebanon
The major developments in the region, especially the Israeli-Iranian war, have reshuffled all cards in Lebanon and frozen the discussion of a number of files, most notably the handover of Palestinian weapons present in refugee camps, a process that was supposed to begin Monday from Beirut’s camps, a media report said. Official sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that the relevant Palestinian sides in Lebanon are yet to be informed of any instructions, whether from the leadership in Ramallah or from Lebanese security agencies, regarding the handover of weapons present in any camp during the coming days.
Naharnet: Salam stresses need to spare Lebanon any involvement in Israel-Iran war
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Monday underscored the need to “prevent Lebanon's entanglement in any way in the ongoing war” between Israel and Iran. Speaking during a cabinet session, Salam said any such involvement would lead to “repercussions that we have nothing to do with.”
Naharnet: What has Bassil said on Hezbollah, peace with Israel?
Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil on Monday denied remarks attributed to him about Hezbollah and the possibility of peace between Lebanon and Israel. “A person whom we do not know made a false and suspicious statement on the MTV channel, claiming that former foreign minister FPM chief Jebran Bassil had once told Lebanese expats in Washington, ‘Rid us of Hezbollah and we’ll be ready for peace with Israel,’” Bassil’s press office said.
Turkey
Al-Monitor: Turkey detains dozens of ISIS suspects in raids tied to Syria-based network
Turkish authorities detained 39 suspected Islamic State members in nationwide raids targeting the group’s alleged financial networks, officials announced Monday, as Ankara ramps up efforts to clamp down on the jihadi group’s remnants in Syria. The suspects were rounded up in raids conducted across 18 provinces over the past two weeks, including in Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a post on X.
Yemen
Reuters: Yemen's Houthis target Israel with ballistic missiles in coordination with Iran
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Sunday that they targeted Israel in coordination with Iran, the first time an Iran-aligned group has publicly announced joint cooperation on attacks with Tehran. The Yemeni group targeted central Israel's Jaffa with several ballistic missiles in the last 24 hours, military spokesperson Yehya Sarea said in a televised address.
New Arab: Israel attempts assassination of Houthi military chief in Yemen
Israel has attempted to assassinate the chief of staff of Yemen's Houthi rebel group, Israeli media reported on Saturday evening. The Israeli military launched airstrikes on the Yemeni capital Sana'a targeting Mohammed Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, an official told Israeli public broadcaster Kan.
India
India will step up its defense ties with Cyprus through collaboration between the two countries’ respective defense industries, the Indian prime minister said Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn’t offer details, but he said talks would begin on boosting bilateral maritime and cybersecurity cooperation.
Benin
Premium Times: Al-Qaeda terrorists claim attack near Nigerian border with Benin
Jama’at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an affiliate of al-Qaeda global terror group, has claimed an attack in Basso, a town in Benin Republic which is about 15 kilometers from Babana and other communities around Kainji National Park straddling Kwara and Niger states. The terror group disclosed this on 12 June in its propaganda snippet seen by PREMIUM TIMES.
Niger
Defense Post: Nine Killed in Niger Jihadist Attack: Local Sources
Suspected jihadists have killed nine travelers, including a teacher, in an attack in southwestern Niger, near the border with Burkina Faso, local sources said Sunday. “A terrorist attack targeted passenger vehicles on Friday June 13, killing nine civilians,” a teachers’ union said in a statement. One of its members had been among the dead, it added.
Nigeria
Reuters: Gunmen kill at least 100 people in Nigeria's Benue state, Amnesty International says
At least 100 people have been killed in an attack by gunmen on a village in Nigeria's central Benue state, Amnesty International Nigeria said Saturday. The attack took place from late Friday into the early hours of Saturday in the village of Yelewata, the group said in a post on social media platform X. "Many people are still missing...dozens injured and left without adequate medical care. Many families were locked up and burnt inside their bedrooms," the post added. Benue is in Nigeria's Middle Belt, a region where the majority Muslim North meets the largely Christian South. The region faces competition over land use, with conflicts between herders, who seek grazing land for their cattle, and farmers, who need arable land for cultivation. These tensions are often worsened by overlapping ethnic and religious divisions.
Stay up to date on our latest news.
Get the latest news on extremism and counter-extremism delivered to your inbox.