SAUDI ARABIA is a victim of terrorism. The blast by a man camouflaged as a cleaner in a mosque in Asir that killed 15 people is a matter of concern. This attack marks a clear change in the approach handling the Daesh insurgents. Saudi Arabia will have to up the stakes and go on the offensive. There is no other choice left. Just a few days ago the offer of a five-day truce in Yemen with the Houthis was rejected. While the events may not be connected, the chain of blasts does become more insidious and bolder.
If you recall, two suicide bomb attacks on Shiite mosques that occurred in May were claimed by Daesh. These were in Qatif in the east of the Kingdom and then in Dammam just across the Causeway from Bahrain.
This time the mosque targeted was a quasi-military complex, which should have been much harder to penetrate. While the Daesh statement that they can pierce Saudi defenses may be a wild exaggeration, this incident will call for a full review of protecting sensitive areas and ensuring the safety of the public at large.
The fact is that terrorism now has spread its tentacles across the globe and the spillover respects no borders. The world at large has to come together as an entity and follow the money trails. Unless they do that and continue to see acts of violence as localized and not as part of a global action to destabilize, the stronger will these forces become.
As every militant group has its in-fights and spawns splinter groups their priorities are different. As such, their methods are different and, by virtue of their leaders, so are their targets.
It is for this reason that the need of the hour is a common platform and a collective strategy that rises above other differences.
In case of India and Pakistan, their equation is a perfect example where cooperation and transparency could begin the slowdown. But the intent has to be there and it has to be long haul in its sincerity.
A high-profile coming together of world leaders and a definitive plan of action are called for.
We will be feeding these groups if the African continent’s militants and their heinous acts are given less importance. The chances of their being allowed to proliferate because the world tends to view them with a distant vision is intrinsically dangerous. There was a meeting in Nairobi where the focus of the discussion was “Terrorism: Challenges to emerging democracies in Africa.” But words are not enough. Unless neighbors stand by each other, there will be a price to pay.
