The Atlas Newsletter - Volume 37

Monday, October 23rd, 2023

Good morning everyone,

Let’s jump right in today.

In Europe, migrants continue to arrive on Spain’s Canary Islands, France and Niger’s relations continue to decline, and Belgium suffers a terrorist attack.

Over in the Middle East, world leaders meet to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, and human rights organizations bring light to worker abuse in Dubai for the climate summits.

Meanwhile, in Africa, the UN in Mali continues preparations to leave the country, the DRC’s government faces setbacks against rebel groups, and Kenya prepares to host King Charles on a visit.

In the Americas, a prominent Jewish leader is killed in Detroit, Mexico experiences flash flooding, and Venezuela undergoes political violence during an election.

In Asia and Oceania, the United States, Japan, and South Korea host aerial exercises involving nuclear bombers, China and the Philippines are involved in a naval collision, and Japan undergoes elections.

All in all, it’s just another day at the office. Let's dive in:

- Joshua Paulo, Sebastien Gray, Trent Barr, & the Atlas team

Foreign Casualties Rise and Hostage Negotiations Persist; the Chaos of the Israeli-Hamas Conflict

October 19th, 2023: (2 Minute Read) The United States State Department has reported that 30 Americans have been killed in Israel since October 7, when Hamas militants launched a surprise offensive over the Gaza border amid a large-scale rocket attack campaign.

In a statement, a State Department spokesperson said, “The U.S. government is working around the clock to determine their whereabouts and is working with the Israeli government on every aspect of the hostage crisis, including sharing intelligence and deploying experts from across the United States government to advise the Israeli government on hostage recovery efforts.”

U.S. President Joe Biden visited Israel this week, partially in order to discuss the ongoing

The State Department also reported that at least 13 Americans are also considered missing, but it remains unclear if any are amongst those taken hostage by Hamas and brought back over the border into Gaza.

In light of this, the West is putting pressure on Israel to delay its ground offensive into Gaza in order to buy time for negotiations for more hostages. Hamas can effectively bleed out hostages and indefinitely postpone an Israeli ground response due to the nearly 200 people taken, if Israel acquiesces.

However, in a “good faith” move, Hamas Al-Qassam Brigades Spokesman Abu Obadiah has announced on his Telegram page that they are releasing a U.S. citizen and her daughter after taking them captive from Israel two weeks ago.

Nationals from over two dozen other countries have been confirmed dead or missing from the initial Hamas offensive:

• Thailand: 28 killed, per Foreign Ministry

• France: 17 killed, 15 missing, per Foreign Ministry

• Russia: 16 killed, 8 missing, per Embassy

• Nepal: 10 killed, 2 missing, per Foreign Ministry

• Britain: At least 10 killed, several missing, per BBC

• Argentina: 7 killed, 15 missing, per Embassy

• Ukraine: 7 killed, 9 missing, per Foreign Ministry

• Canada: 5 killed, per CTV News

• Portugal: At least 4 killed, per Embassy

• Romania: 4 killed, per Foreign Ministry

• Philippines: 3 killed, 3 missing, per Embassy

• China: 3 killed, 2 missing, per Foreign Ministry

• Brazil: 3 killed, per Foreign Ministry

• Belarus: 3 killed, 1 missing, per Embassy

• Peru: 2 killed, one missing, per Foreign Ministry

• Austria: 1 dead, 2 missing, per Foreign Ministry

• Ireland: 1 killed, per Prime Minister

• Cambodia: 1 killed, per Prime Minister

• Colombia: 1 killed, per Foreign Ministry

• Spain: 1 killed, per Foreign Ministry

• Switzerland: 1 killed, per Foreign Ministry

• Turkey: 1 killed, per national media

• Germany: Number of killed unknown, said to be “several” by German officials

• Italy: 3 missing, per Foreign Minister

• Sri Lanka: 2 missing, per Ambassador

• Tanzania: 2 missing, per Ambassador

• Mexico: 1 missing, per Foreign Minister

Europe

October 21st, 2023 - Over 1,400 African migrants arrived on Spain’s Canary Islands, located off the western Moroccan shore, between Friday and Saturday, authorities stated on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. Authorities reported that within the first two weeks of October, 8,561 migrants had arrived on the islands, breaking a previous record set during a migration crisis in 2006. Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska stated that the severity of migration was due to political "destabilization in the Sahel" during a visit to the islands last week. The islands are no strangers to the recent influx of migrants, as numbers have increased exponentially following efforts to curb illegal migration through the Mediterranean by European nations. The voyage to the Canary Islands is one of the most dangerous in the world, with at least 559 people, including 22 children, having died in 2022 while attempting to reach the islands, according to the U.N.'s International Organization for Migration.

October 17th, 2023 - Two Swedish nationals were killed and one injured in what Belgian and Swedish authorities are calling a terrorist attack in Brussels after a Tunisian national opened fire upon the three Swedes'. Following the shooting, which took place as Belgium and Sweden’s men’s soccer teams were playing each other for a European Championship Qualifier match, Following the shooting, the suspect fled the scene and reportedly drove around for several hours before he was finally located by police and killed during an arrest attempt. Reportedly, in a recorded Facebook video, the suspect pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and stated that the Quran was “a red line for which he is ready to sacrifice himself”, likely in reference to the Quran burnings in Sweden.

October 23rd, 2023 - France has withdrawn from one of its bases within Northern Niger, withdrawing over 200 troops, 28 trucks, and 24 armored vehicles. The base has been handed over to Niger’s military, in accordance with France’s plan to withdraw completely from the country before the end of the year. The withdrawal comes amidst France’s rapidly deteriorating relations with Niger following the coup that deposed President Bazoum nearly three months ago. French President Macron has announced not only the end of France’s military presence in Niger but also that they will be pulling their ambassador.

Middle East

October 20th, 2023 - As the Cairo Peace Summit convened, Arab leaders denounced Israel's extensive bombing campaign in Gaza, while European leaders emphasized the need to protect civilians. The absence of Israel and senior United States (US) officials hindered the achievement of a consensus to quell the ongoing violence. Egypt the host, expressed hopes that participants would rally for peace and continue their endeavors to address the enduring Palestinian quest for statehood. Nonetheless, as the Cairo Peace Summit concluded, no joint statement was agreed upon by leaders and foreign ministers. The failure to reach a unified stance underscores the complex and deeply entrenched nature of the situation, leaving the path to lasting peace in the region uncertain.

October 18th, 2023 -FairSquare, a human rights research and advocacy group, recently unveiled troubling evidence of abuse involving migrant workers from Africa and Asia in the UAE. In early September, amidst scorching temperatures reaching 42°C (107°F) in Dubai, the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, over a dozen laborers were observed toiling outdoors at three Cop28 sites. According to both visual evidence and witness testimonies collected by FairSquare researchers, these workers endured extreme heat and humidity on two separate days, even during the "midday ban," a UAE law designed to protect outdoor laborers from potentially fatal heat exposure. Migrant workers constitute approximately 90% of the UAE's private sector workforce, responsible for the majority of manual labor tasks, including preparations for Cop28, a United Nations climate conference expecting tens of thousands of attendees, including heads of state and diplomats from nearly 195 countries. This revelation from FairSquare is the latest exposé in a series of investigations exposing precarious working conditions faced by migrant laborers in the Gulf region, where the majority of the private sector workforce consists of migrants under an employer-controlled sponsorship system. Neighboring Qatar faced its own grim reality, with an average of a dozen workers from specific countries, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, succumbing each week between 2010 and 2022 while working on World Cup infrastructure.

Africa

October 22nd, 2023 - MINUSMA, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission, has announced its troops carried out an “accelerated withdrawal” from its Tessalit base in Northern Mali. While the withdrawal was in accordance with its schedule for the ending of its mandate, the UN stated that the withdrawal took place under a “tense security situation”, with UN forces having to take shelter several times due to taking fire. The Tessalit base is the sixth base to have been closed after a UN Security Council resolution ended their mandate on June 30th, 2023.

October 21st - 22nd, 2023 - The security situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has continued to deteriorate as renewed fighting between the DRC and the M23 rebel group heads into its third week. For several months, there had been very limited combat between the M23 and the government following a series of negotiations and resolutions, but fighting has again broken out. On both Saturday and Sunday, fighting took place, which saw the M23 take the town of Kitshanga, which is a key town in the region. The DRC has stated that they are “trying to find a way to retake the town”, but have seemingly yet to have any success in doing so.

October 22nd, 2023 - Buckingham Palace announced that, in the coming days, British monarch King Charles will be visiting Kenya. While the trip will include the typical viewing of conservation efforts, it is marked by two unique things. Firstly, it is the King’s first visit to a Commonwealth country as monarch, but also that Buckingham Palace has announced he will “acknowledge the more painful aspects of the U.K. and Kenya's shared history”, largely in reference to Britain’s violent colonial history within Kenya, which saw a long period of violence leading up to Kenya’s independence. King Charles’s “acknowledgement” follows several other similar events between Africa and former European colonial powers, such as in June, when Belgian King Philippe expressed his “deepest regrets” for the abuses suffered in the DRC under Belgium’s rule.

The Americas

October 21st, 2023 - The board president of a Detroit synagogue was found stabbed to death outside her home located in Lafayette Park, a neighborhood east of downtown Detroit, on Saturday morning. The president, Samantha Woll, was found at around 6:30 AM after police received calls regarding a woman who was lying unresponsive on the ground, Ms. Woll was pronounced dead at the scene. When police arrived on scene they discovered a trail of blood leading into Ms. Woll’s home where investigators believe the crime took place. Detroit’s Police Chief, James E. White, issued a statement on Sunday regarding the murder. "The investigation into the death of Ms. Woll remains ongoing," Detroit’s Police Chief, James E. White, said in a statement on Sunday. "At this time, however, no evidence has surfaced suggesting that this crime was motivated by antisemitism." The FBI is reportedly working alongside the Detroit Police Department in a joint effort in order to apprehend those responsible for the killing. The 40-year-old president, Samantha Woll, had been the president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Detroit Synagogue since 2022 and previously worked alongside two Democratic politicians, including Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin and on the re-election campaign of Michigan's current Attorney General, Dana Nessel.

October 21st, 2023 - Flash flooding severely affected the south of Mexico’s Baja California state after Hurricane Norma made landfall on Saturday. Witnesses recorded floodwaters carrying vehicles away while others reported downed power lines and trees which left some regions without power or internet access. Emergency response teams have been deployed to the affected regions, rescuing those trapped in severely affected areas while rescuers in San Jose del Cabo transported those affected to emergency shelters where an estimated 1,700 people are seeking shelter from the hurricane. The local hotel association has estimated there are nearly 40,000 tourists still in Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo on Friday, tourists are currently trapped in their resorts as the airport and marinas have been closed in preparation for the storm. The federal government had deployed 500 marines to assist in preparations for the incoming storm while officials stated that as many as 39 emergency shelters are on standby to open.

October 22nd, 2023 - Violence erupted on the streets of Venezuela’s capital as well as other cities in the country on Sunday during the country’s first opposition-led presidential primary in over 10 years. Residents reported gangs of armed men roaming the streets, preventing polling stations from being installed while shootings were also reported as voters attempted to reach polls in the area. In another neighborhood one elderly voter was run over with a car while waiting in the polling line. Others reported tear gas was utilized at one polling center in the capital, however the perpetrator is currently unknown. Sabotage was also witnessed across the country; voters in the San Bernardino neighborhood located within the capital were barred from voting after officials found booths locked with “school locks and crazy glue.” In Maturín, the state capital of Venezuela’s Monagas state, voters reported the power being cut at a voting station, delaying attempts to submit their votes.

Asia and Oceania

October 19th, 2023 - In a significant show of military cooperation, the armed forces of South Korea, the United States, and Japan recently carried out their first ever joint aerial exercise, in the vicinity of the Korean Peninsula. The trilateral training session, a result of the three nations' prior agreement to enhance their defense collaboration and bolster their collective readiness in the face of North Korean threats, demonstrated their commitment to regional stability and security. according to a statement from the South Korean air force. The exercise involved a nuclear-capable B-52 bomber from the United States, alongside fighter jets representing South Korea and Japan.

October 20th, 2023 - Tensions continue to escalate in the South China Sea as the Philippines and China engage in a diplomatic spat regarding a recent collision involving their naval vessels. Manila claims that a Philippine supply ship en route to a military base at the Second Thomas Shoal was obstructed and collided with a Chinese coast guard vessel. A Philippine patrol ship accompanying the supply vessel was also struck by a Chinese maritime militia boat. The China Maritime Safety Administration, however, contends that the Philippines bears full responsibility, accusing the supply ship of deliberately crossing the Chinese coast guard vessel's path, leading to contact. No injuries were reported by either side.

October 19th, 2023 - In national by-elections, Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) suffered a significant setback, losing one of the two contested seats. This outcome poses a challenge to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Cabinet, which is grappling with the economic burden of surging prices. In the House of Councillors by-election in the Tokushima-Kochi district, an independent candidate supported by opposition parties emerged victorious. Meanwhile, in the Nagasaki No. 4 House of Representatives constituency, the LDP candidate managed to defeat a prominent member of the leading opposition party. The LDP had aspired to secure both seats, despite dwindling approval ratings for Kishida's Cabinet, which have reached their lowest point since he assumed office in October 2021. This decline in popularity is partly attributed to public frustration over rising inflation and stagnant wage growth.

• Islamic Resistance in Iraq claims responsibility for drone attacks in Syria - Atlas

• IDF launches airstrikes in Jenin, West Bank - Sebastien Grey

• Reports of violence at Venezuelan voting booths - Trent Barr

• Fighting continues in Southern Israel - OurWarsToday

• Maryland Circuit Court judge killed in his home - Tessaron

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