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Interfor International‘s Weekly Security Digest - January 7, 2025

Interfor International‘s Weekly Security Digest – January 7, 2025

Interfor’s Weekly Digest | Global Security and Policy Insights – January 7, 2025 

The New Years Day tragedy in New Orleans serves as a stark reminder of the critical need for proactive security measures to protect public spaces and communities. In 2020, Interfor conducted a detailed physical security vulnerability assessment of the French Quarter, the very area that was impacted by the devastating attack this week. Our team worked meticulously to identify potential risks, define underlying causes and recommend solutions aimed at mitigating exposure to similar threats and others.

While we deeply mourn the lives lost and the suffering caused, this tragedy highlights the importance of our work: ensuring that people and organizations are better prepared, safer and more resilient in the face of evolving security challenges.

Global Security Matters

US

  • On New Years Eve, Shamsud-din Jabbar, a US Army veteran who turned to the Islamic State, drove a truck through the French Quarter of New Orleans, killing 14 and injuring dozens more. Since the attack, authorities have been investigating how the city failed to ensure Bourbon Street’s security. Interfor’s CEO, Don Aviv, has been featured on a variety of televised and print news to shed light on the French Quarter’s security. Reports indicate that the French Quarter Management District failed to replace its bollards, as Interfor recommended in 2019. 
  • Since New Years Eve, NYC has seen an alarming string of violent, random crime. Within the first two days of 2025, a man was pushed onto the subway tracks, at least five random fatal stabbings occurred, some of which occurred in the subway. In response, the NYPD will deploy more officers to patrol the subway system, though there is a rising public sentiment in NYC that the city does not have a handle on the rate of violent crime.
  • The first bird flu death was recorded in Louisiana on Monday. An elderly patient with preexisting conditions contracted the virus from exposure to wild birds. Officials say there is not yet evidence that bird flu is spreading from person-to-person, though health officials recommend remaining vigilant and avoiding contact with wild or sick animals. To date, nearly all infected individuals in the US have been employed on farms and are thought to have contracted the virus from sick dairy animals and/or birds. 

Middle East

  • Gaza ceasefire talks are continuing, with recurring reports of breakthroughs and setbacks. Core obstacles to a deal remain the same: Hamas wants Israel to commit to ending the war and withdrawing its troops from Gaza; Israel refuses to end the war until all hostages are free and Hamas is incapable of reclaiming power in the Strip. Still, a Hamas official claimed that they released a list of 34 Israeli hostages who would be released in the first phase of a deal in exchange for an unknown number of Palestinian prisoners. However, Israeli officials have asserted that the list, released by a Saudi news outlet, was created by Israeli negotiators in July 2024 and Hamas has not revealed which of the 34 names are still alive. Included on the list is Liri Albag, a 19-year-old female soldier who was recently featured in a Hamas propaganda video.
    • The latest proof of life video has renewed popular calls for a hostage release deal among Israelis. Thousands of Israelis protested on Saturday, with hostage families calling on the Israeli and US government to secure a deal. Now over a year since the last successful deal, many hostage families fear that the phased ceasefire plan will condemn the remaining 66 hostages.
  • The IDF’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon has been slower than anticipated due to insufficient action by the Lebanese army, according to an IDF spokesman. Lebanese officials claim they are waiting for a full Israeli withdrawal before entering southern towns. The ceasefire reached at the end of November outlined a 60-day withdrawal, which ends on January 27. If the IDF remains in Lebanon by past 60 days, Hezbollah has threatened to resume attacks (though violations of the ceasefire have already taken place, on both sides). To ensure the ceasefire holds, US envoy Amos Hochstein again traveled to Beirut on Monday.
    • We are watching closely to see how the transition from Biden to Trump may impact a possible resumption or extended cessation of hostilities in Lebanon. President-Elect Trump has made clear, broadly, that he favors peace over war in the region, but he is still likelier than Biden to support further Israeli action against Hezbollah, especially if he is convinced that Hezbollah, rather than Israel is the primary obstacle to peace.

International Affairs

  • China unveiled a plan to implement 15 initiatives aimed at boosting the development of its western provinces through major infrastructure projects, including upgrades to ports and aviation hubs. According to the General Administration of Customs, these measures will strengthen the integration of rail, air, river, and maritime transport across the region. Major cities such as Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Xi’an, and Urumqi have been identified as target areas for the development of international aviation centers. This initiative forms part of China’s broader strategy to accelerate economic growth in its western regions, which have historically lagged behind the more prosperous coastal areas. However, this development typically entails the forced labor of ethnic minorities like the Uighurs, again raising concerns regarding human rights in China.
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed heavy troop losses among Russian and North Korean forces during recent clashes in Russia’s Kursk region. In his evening address on January 4, Zelensky claimed that the Russian army lost as much as a full battalion of North Korean infantry soldiers and Russian paratroopers in battles near the village of Makhnovka, close to the Ukrainian border. While he described the losses as “significant,” Zelensky did not provide exact figures beyond the battalion estimate, which generally comprises several hundred troops.
  • Hundreds of South Koreans protested near the residence of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol, demanding his removal from office and arrest. The demonstration came after authorities were unable to pass Yoon’s presidential guard and failed to execute a detention warrant against Yoon, who is under investigation for declaring martial law on December 3 — a decision swiftly overturned by the National Assembly. Protesters voiced their frustration over the slow progress in detaining Yoon, while a counter-rally of pro-Yoon supporters assembled nearby to show their support for the leader.
  • On Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that he would not seek reelection and would resign as party leader. While Trudeau has faced criticism for some time due to increased immigration and a slow economy, there has been a renewed push for fresh leadership following the resignation of his long-time Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland in December. The move comes as Trudeau’s Conservative Party opponent, Pierre Poilievre, has surpassed Trudeau in polls. However, Trudeau’s decision means that Canada must undergo a longer than typical transition period, meaning general elections may be earlier than expected should coalition leaders decide to schedule a spring election.
  • Taiwan has requested assistance from South Korea to investigate a Chinese ship accused of cutting underwater communications cables. The incident, which occurred on January 3, damaged the cables off the port of Keelung on Taiwan’s north coast. This is the latest in a series of incidents in which Taiwanese officials accuse Chinese ships of intentionally severing communications, internet, and/or energy cables. Taiwanese officials claim that such actions, if confirmed, jeopardize their ability to defend themselves from a Chinese attack.

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