This briefing assesses Boko Haram's arsenal, where those munitions come from, and how best to reduce the flow of weapons to the group. The group’s weaponry is predominantly of Russian and Eastern European stock looted from police stations and military bases within Nigeria. It will be impossible to stem the flow of weapons to Boko Haram completely. Ultimately, it will be efforts to tackle the deep structural socio-economic problems in northern Nigeria that will have the most success in fundamentally weakening Boko Haram.
Tag: Chris Abbott
Blowback: The failure of remote-control warfare
It all seemed so convenient: remote-control warfare would minimise military casualties while rendering the civilian dead invisible. But in this article co-published with openDemocracy, Open Briefing's executive director, Chris Abbott, explains how the battlefield has come home and remote-control warfare is failing.
Remote-control warfare briefing #8, January 2015: Attacks in Paris, terrorist use of drones, Sony Pictures hack
Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: attacks in France, Australia and Canada highlight domestic deployment of special operations forces for counter-terrorism operations; terrorist use of drones presents major potential threat to key sites and personnel in West; hack on Sony Pictures highlights key challenges in cyber security and conflict; and more.
Trends in remote-control warfare: March-September 2014
Since April 2014, Open Briefing has produced a series of monthly intelligence briefings on developments in remote-control warfare, including special operations forces; private military and security companies; unmanned vehicles and autonomous weapons systems; cyber warfare; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. This report provides a detailed overview of the key trends that have emerged during the period covered by the previous five briefings.
Remote-control warfare briefing #04
Monthly briefing from the Open Briefing intelligence unit on developments in remote-control warfare. This month: eminent task force delivers detailed report examining US drone policy; significant malware distribution and network monitoring on rise across Iraq; British parliament passes ‘emergency’ data retention and surveillance legislation; and more.
Intelligence brief: The use of barrel bombs by the Syrian government
Barrel bombs are a type of IED dropped from a helicopter or cargo aircraft. It is estimated that 5-6,000 such bombs have been dropped by the Syrian military since the uprising began, killing at least 20,000 people. This intelligence brief explores the reasons behind the Syrian government's use of these improvised devices and assesses whether targeting helicopter manufacturers or spare-part suppliers might be an effective strategy for international NGOs wishing to put pressure on the Syrian government to end its use of these weapons.
Intelligence brief: Qatari aid, finance and foreign policy in Sudan
This intelligence brief for an international network of aid agencies and civil society organisation answers four intelligence requests related to Qatari aid and other finance in Sudan, as well as Qatar's policy towards South Kordofan and Blue Nile states and the architects of such policies.
2013: The year of the drone?
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism's new annual report reveals that for the first time since 2004 there were no confirmed reports of civilian casualties in Pakistan from US drone strikes. However, in this blog post, Open Briefing's Executive Director, Chris Abbott, argues it is not all good news and asks whether 2014 might, in fact, be the year of the drone.
