The al-Ashtar Brigades (AAB): A Closer Look at Their Origins, Operations, and Regional Impact

The al-Ashtar Brigades (AAB) is a militant group that has gained attention for its activities in the Middle East, particularly in Bahrain. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the AAB, shedding light on its origins, operations, and the regional impact it has had on security and stability.

Origins and Ideology: 

The al-Ashtar Brigades emerged in the early 2010s in Bahrain, a small island nation in the Persian Gulf. The group advocates for the overthrow of the Bahraini monarchy and the establishment of an Islamic state. They draw inspiration from Shiite ideologies and have been associated with Iran, although the extent of their ties remains a matter of debate. The AAB has been labeled as a terrorist organization by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Operational Activities: 

The AAB has been involved in various acts of violence, including bombings, armed attacks, and assassinations. They primarily target security forces, government institutions, and infrastructure. The group's operations often aim to destabilize the Bahraini government and create fear within the population. While the AAB's activities have been concentrated in Bahrain, there have been reports of their involvement in neighboring countries as well.

Regional Impact and Challenges: 

The activities of the al-Ashtar Brigades have had a significant impact on regional security, particularly in Bahrain. The group's attacks have resulted in casualties and posed challenges to the stability of the country. The Bahraini government has faced difficulties in countering the AAB's operations due to the group's covert nature and its ability to recruit and mobilize sympathizers. The ongoing tensions between Bahrain's Shiite majority and Sunni-led government also contribute to the complexity of the situation.

Connections and External Support: 

The AAB has faced allegations of receiving support from external actors, particularly Iran. Bahrain and its allies have accused Iran of providing training, weapons, and financial assistance to the group. Iran has denied these claims, although there is evidence suggesting some level of coordination and support between the AAB and Iran-backed elements. The external support received by the AAB has allowed them to enhance their capabilities and expand their influence.

Counterterrorism Efforts and Future Outlook: 

The Bahraini government, supported by its regional allies, has implemented counterterrorism measures to combat the AAB. These efforts include intelligence operations, arrests, and crackdowns on suspected AAB members. However, eliminating the AAB and addressing the underlying grievances that contribute to their support base remain significant challenges. The group's resilience and ability to adapt to security measures indicate that the AAB will likely continue to pose a threat in the future.

International Response and Human Rights Concerns: 

The activities of the AAB have drawn international attention and raised concerns regarding human rights violations. Some international organizations have criticized the Bahraini government's approach to counterterrorism, citing instances of arbitrary arrests, torture, and repression of dissent. Balancing effective counterterrorism measures with respect for human rights and addressing legitimate grievances is a complex task that requires careful consideration and cooperation among stakeholders.

Conclusion: 

The al-Ashtar Brigades (AAB) represent a significant security challenge in Bahrain and the broader Middle East region. Understanding the origins, operations, and regional impact of the AAB is crucial for developing comprehensive and effective counterterrorism strategies. Addressing the underlying political and social issues, promoting dialogue and reconciliation, and addressing grievances are essential steps in mitigating the threat posed by the AAB and fostering long-term stability and security in the region.

USNS Rappahannock Fires after Vessel ignores warnings

By U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- An embarked security team aboard a U.S. Navy vessel fired upon a small motor vessel after it disregarded warnings and rapidly approached the U.S. ship near Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates today.

In accordance with Navy force protection procedures, the sailors on the USNS Rappahannock (T-AO 204) used a series of non-lethal, preplanned responses to warn the vessel before resorting to lethal force.

The U.S. crew repeatedly attempted to warn the vessel's operators to turn away from their deliberate approach. When those efforts failed to deter the approaching vessel, the security team on the Rappahannock fired rounds from a .50-caliber machine gun.

The incident is under investigation.

Navy Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan J. Wilson, 26, of Shasta, Calif., died of complications associated with a medical condition May 20 in Manama, Bahrain.  Wilson was assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command headquarters in Bahrain.

For further information related to this release, contact U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. Fifth Fleet Public Affairs at 011-973-1785-4027.

US 5th Fleet Welcomes New Commander As Vice Adm. Miller Takes Helm of US Navy In Middle East

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Lewis Hunsaker, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs

KHALIFA BIN SALMAN PORT, Bahrain (NNS) -- Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT)/5th Fleet (C5F)/Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) held a change of command ceremony aboard aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65), May 24.

Vice Adm. John Miller relieved Vice Adm. Mark Fox as commander of NAVCENT/C5F/CMF.

As the guest speaker, U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, commander, U.S. Central Command, addressed the distinguished guests from regional and coalition partner nations, as well as fellow service members, in the hangar bay of the U.S. Navy's first nuclear aircraft carrier and the second oldest vessel in commission. Enterprise is on its 22nd and final deployment.

Mattis highlighted NAVCENT/C5F/CMF numerous achievements during Fox's tenure, including assisting 62 ships and 610 mariners in distress at sea, and air support to troops on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Admiral Fox, the prince of the sea, emir of the sea - to translate 'admiral' from the Arabic to English - is a shipmate and a trusted confidant; I have relied on his operational judgment from day one. A key advisor, he's got a fighter's instinct and a diplomat's understanding," said Mattis. "Thank you, Admiral Fox. You are the epitome of a naval officer."

Since July 2010, Fox has led more than 25,000 U.S. and coalition service members operating continuously in the region providing security, defending against violent extremism, conducting maritime security operations (MSO) and providing support for operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and New Dawn.

"The U.S. and Combined Maritime Forces contribution and presence is vital to security and stability in this region of the world," said Fox. "It's essential for the global economy that every nation has a presence here."

Fox wore the Order of Bahrain, First-class medal, which was bestowed upon him on May 11, by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Kingdom of Bahrain. Fox was presented the award in honor of his meritorious service as Commander, NAVCENT/C5F/CMF. During the change of command ceremony, he was awarded the Department of the Navy's Distinguished Service Medal for his exceptional performance as NAVCENT/C5F/CMF commander from July 2010 to May 2012.

Fox has been confirmed for reappointment to the rank of vice admiral and assignment as deputy chief of naval operations for Operations, Plans and Strategy (N3/N5), in Washington, D.C.

Miller's previous assignments include serving as the NAVCENT deputy commander and chief of staff for Commander, U.S. Central Command. His most recent tour was as special assistant to the deputy chief of naval operations for Operations, Plans, and Strategy (N3/N5) in Washington, D.C.

"It's an honor to be here and to serve with the greatest group of Sailors and Marines the world has ever seen," said Miller.

Miller's goals as the new commander are to build upon existing relationships and foster new partnerships throughout the region.

"It is always important to build the coalition," said Miller. "It's our job to maintain security and stability in the region, and we do that through a large variety of coalition partners who share a common cause with us."

NAVCENT/C5F/CMF area of responsibility encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean. This expanse, comprised of 20 countries, includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.

Navy Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Petty Officer Second Class Jorge Luis Velasquez, 35, of Houston, died as a result of a non-combat related incident in Manama, Bahrain.  Velasquez was assigned to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 56 in Bahrain, which conducts maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

For further information related to this release, contact Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / Commander, U.S. Fifth Fleet Public Affairs at 011-973-1785-4027.

Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting United States Mission Iraq.

Pfc. Cesar Cortez, 24, of Oceanside, Calif., died Feb. 11, in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Cortez was assigned to 5th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command, Fort Bliss, Texas.

For more information, the media may contact the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command public affairs office at 915-568-3328.

Afghanistan: 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team mission changes

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Department of Defense on Wednesday announced changes to the mission of the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team due to reduced requirements in Afghanistan.

The 37th IBCT, 38th Infantry Division – consisting primarily of Army National Guard units from Ohio and Michigan – began mobilizing in early October 2011, for deployment to Afghanistan.

All of the re-missioned 37th Soldiers will be serving in various security force assignments guarding U.S. forces and facilities in both Afghanistan and Bahrain.

The National Guard has mobilized more than 700,000 Soldiers and Airmen in support of overseas contingency operations and domestic operations since Sept. 11, 2001, some more than once.

There are 26,000 National Guard soldiers currently mobilized and deployed supporting the Operation New Dawn and/or Operation Enduring Freedom missions.

The Department of Defense understands that members of the National Guard make major commitments when they are mobilized, often leaving jobs and school, terminating leases, and moving families in advance of deployment.

Employers, schools and families must make plans months in advance for deployments that routinely last longer than a year. Whenever possible, we will find suitable alternate missions for mobilized units affected by changing requirements.

DoD will continue to announce major unit deployments and mission changes as they are identified, and those units are alerted.

Navy Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation New Dawn.

Cmdr. James K. Crawford, 50, of East Concord, N.Y., died Sept. 7, as a result of a non-combat related incident in Manama, Bahrain.  Crawford was assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, supporting operations at the Combined Maritime Forces Coalition Coordination Center at Naval Support Activity, Bahrain.

An investigation is in progress.

For further information related to this release, contact U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs at 011-973-1785-9980.

Commander Outlines Situation in Southwest Afghanistan

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 16, 2011 – Key areas in Afghanistan’s Helmand and Nimroz provinces are likely candidates for the second or third rounds of transition to Afghan security, the U.S. commander there said today.

Marine Corps Maj. Gen. John A. Toolan Jr., commander of Regional Command Southwest, briefed Pentagon reporters by video uplink from his Helmand province headquarters at Camp Leatherneck.

Helmand’s capital of Lashkar Gah is designated as one of the first to transition in July, and security efforts in districts including Reg-e Khan Neshin, Garmshir, Nawa and Marjah have been a “tremendous success” over the past two years, he said.

“Many of those districts will be identified for transition in lead security in either the next tranche or the following tranche,” the commander said, noting the next rounds of security transition lead will likely be in January or February and July of 2012.

Toolan took command in March of a force that includes 30,000 service members from the United States, United Kingdom, Estonia, Denmark, the Republic of Georgia, Bahrain and Tonga. Coalition forces in the two provinces are partnered with the Afghan army’s 215th Corps.

The year’s poppy and wheat harvests are complete and the fighting season is now under way in his area, Toolan said. He added that his objective over the next six months is to “deepen the hold” coalition and Afghan forces have established in the central Helmand River Valley.

“We need to thicken our hold in some places, mostly in the north,” the general said.

Troop operations over the summer and into the fall will focus on strengthening security in the upper Sangin and upper Goresh Valleys, Toolan said, as well as in the area around the Kajaki Dam, which supplies power and irrigation to districts farther south.

Toolan cited reducing funding for insurgent activity in the south as a major accomplishment in the region.

“We’ve been able to do that by attacking the narcotics nexus,” he said, “that combination of Taliban insurgent and narcotics producer.”

Since April, coalition and Afghan forces have seized some 30,000 tons of poppies, with an estimated market value of $65 million, he said.

While some estimates put 30,000 tons as only 2 percent of the total harvest, the general said, “We can tell just by intelligence gathering that it’s had a significant impact, particularly in the south.”

Toolan said security transition around Lashkar Gah is going well, but he expects insurgents to attack the area and try to reduce the local population’s confidence in the government.

“I think we have a pretty good plan in place,” he said. “We won’t let the transition in Lashkar Gah fail.”

As security transition efforts move ahead in Helmand and Nimroz, Toolan said, one key issue will be progress among the Afghan police, who will be responsible for protecting the population and securing justice.

“There are some things, some perceptions that need to be overcome with the police,” he said. “But we see progress.”

Toolan said the security transfer in Lashkar Gah will involve building more checkpoints around the city by January. Those checkpoints will be manned by Afghan army troops, and gradually taken over by police forces. Eventually, he said, the police will phase back from the checkpoints into local precincts.

“That’s going to take time, and I would suspect that the full transition … will probably take a good year, year-and-a-half,” the general said.

The projected total end strength for Afghan army and police forces this year is 352,000, he said, and the army is “moving along incredibly well.”

“The majority of them … are operating at pretty good capacity,” Toolan said. “They’re well trained; they generally have a second-grade reading level, and they’ve got some good leadership development going.”

The general said over the next year and through 2014, when Afghan forces are set to assume security responsibility throughout the country, coalition combat troops need to assume a more advisory role to ensure their Afghan counterparts gain the experience they need.

While progress in Afghanistan has often been called fragile and reversible, Toolan said, “I think what we really mean is that the local nationals can easily be intimidated by insurgents moving into their areas.”

The Afghan local police program recruits young men, approved by and often related to their tribal elders, to help protect their own villages from insurgent intimidation, he said.

“But if they’re not able to stand up, or if they are co-opted by the insurgents, then that fragility … occurs,” he said. “It becomes a problem, then, to get back into the villages and try to re-establish a secure environment.”

The most-difficult challenge is convincing the people they can stand up to insurgents, Toolan said.

The Afghan central government has a vital responsibility to strengthen its effectiveness at the village, district and provincial levels, he said.

Helmand’s governor and district councils are working effectively with coalition forces, the U.S. commander said.

“The real challenge will come as more and more is turned over to the national government,” Toolan said. “[Direction] has to be fed through the national government down through the various ministry pipelines.”

Toolan said civilian mentorship from the British-led provincial reconstruction team, the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development are crucial to developing Afghan governmental capacity.

“The provincial reconstruction team, with augmentation from [coalition forces], is about 200 people,” he said. “The regional platform, which is our State Department-run organization, is currently about 35 people but is going to increase … to about 75 or 80.”

As more civilians join the effort, Toolan said, it’s vital to bring in people with the right skills: those who can mentor Afghan agricultural experts, engineers and financiers.

“That’s how I think we’ll make greater progress,” he said. “My hope is that, on the civilian surge side, is that we bring in those aggressive, hungry, talented people who will drive that mentoring and advising role with the Afghans.”