I spent over two years in Iraq in the aftermath of the invasion between 2005 and 2007, working for a private security company (PSC) that was providing security to the American, Department of Defence, during the reconstruction phase. But yesterdays publication of over 2 millions words just didn’t do it for me, so many unanswered … Read More
Puntland, Somalia: Threat Assessment is a precis of an indepth report researched in the regional capital Garowe over a one month period. The research methodology involved in-country interviews with Puntland government ministers, members of the Puntland Security Forces and international aid and development actors. It has been upadated for release in June 2016, but must … Read More
Recent events in Afghanistan in which another NGO worker was kidnapped, prompted me to write an article for organisations working in an environment with a K&R threat, on how best to protect themselves. Carrying on with this theme. I’ve enlisted the help of Blue Cole, a leading figure within the field of Kidnap & Ransom … Read More
My sources in Turkey are reporting that all the countries provincial police forces have been warned of possible attack by Islamic State (IS) in Ankara on May 19th during the festivities surrounding the countries Youth and Sports Day celebrations. Turkish National Intelligence are warning that ten IS militants have gained access to the country via … Read More
Australian kidnapped in Afganistan. Katherine Jane Wilson a member of the Zardozi charity is another victim of Afghan Kidnap and Ransom. The 60 year old snatched from her villa in the eastern city of Jalalabad (J’bad) in the early hours of 28th April by armed men in uniforms. There is little information at present, but there … Read More
The following is a summary of the larger South Sudan – Country Risk Assessment that I wrote in October 2015. Please note the situation within South Sudan is very fluid and subject to immediate change. Take for example the conflict that errupted in December 2013, no-one saw saw that coming. If your planning to visit … Read More
Plane Crash South Sudan Kills 41. There was 17 passengers and crew on-board the Russian, Antinov cargo plane, but the majority of casualties came as the aircraft crashed into a local settlement on take-off from Juba International Airport. This wasn’t the first time this has happened however. Earlier in October 2015 two aircraft found themselves … Read More
Armored Vehicles Save Lives. I think so, and the world would be a very different place if the use of armored vehicles had been more accepted by world leaders in the last century, the course of history altered by assassinations in cars that that could have been easily avoided. Take for instance the assassination of … Read More
South Sudan: heading for chaos? The newest country in the world recently hit the headlines when the warring parties signed a peace agreement to end the 20-month long conflict. One of the clauses of the accord – which president Kiir signed reluctantly on the 26th August, was that a cease-fire would ensue. But before the … Read More
Last week some of might have read my artice – Turkish Kidnapping: ISIS? – in which I questioned the validity of the claim made by Marc Pierin – a Carnegie Europe scholar published by Voice of America – that ISIS was responsible for the kidnaping of 18 Turkish construction workers in Bagdahd on 2nd September. … Read More
