Providing Aid in Conflict Environments: Security Threats Facing NGO Workers
Wrongful detention, kidnapping and targeted attacks will likely remain the primary threats to NGO personnel in the coming year.
Wrongful detention, kidnapping and targeted attacks will likely remain the primary threats to NGO personnel in the coming year.
Piracy, terrorism and geopolitical tensions have presented persistent threats to commercial shipping in 2019. Despite states’ increased focus on securing shipping routes, the overall number of maritime incidents continues to fluctuate, and has declined only marginally over the past year.
Active assailant incidents, in which the attacker targets their victims in an arbitrary manner, understandably attract high levels of media attention when they occur at schools. While several such incidents have taken place in recent years including in 2019, they continue to be relatively rare occurrences.
Incidents of mass mobilisation over environmental issues such as climate change gained significant global traction in 2019. Inspired by environmental activists such as Greta Thunberg and organisations such as Extinction Rebellion, millions of school learners, university students, activists and supporters have been organising protests and strikes across…
Over the last three weeks, an outbreak of coronavirus that was first reported in the area of Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China has escalated into a topic of international concern.
Over the last two weeks, an outbreak of coronavirus that was first reported in the area of Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China has escalated into a topic of international concern.
From getting caught in natural disasters, being assaulted during public appearances to being robbed of equipment while filming, film and media operators face a variety of security threats. Here, we present some illustrative examples of recent incidents from around the world, and offer practical advice on minimising security risks for the film and media…
Some recent high-profile cases have drawn attention to the kidnapping threat Chinese students face, as they increasingly seek educational opportunities abroad. Rob Attwell reviews a number of recent incidents and trends.
The mutually-beneficial relationship between terrorist organisations and the criminal underworld is well documented. For several decades, these outlawed groups have crossed paths across the globe. Now, with the fall of the Islamic State – once the richest terrorist organisation in the world – S-RM’s analysis team delve into the latest dynamics of the…
Since the first examples of CBRN agents being used in warfare, developments in treatment and prevention have been struggling to keep up. Options to mitigate the harmful effects of CBRN agents on the civilian population have been relatively limited until recent years.
In this article, we examine three cases from around the world which highlight where and under what conditions police will turn to kidnap for ransom either directly or in cooperation with organised criminal groups.
Maoist militants in Asia continue to fund their operations through so-called “revolutionary taxes,” underscoring the persistent threat of far-left extortion in the Philippines, India and Nepal, writes Rob Attwell.