Popular Front - podcast cover

Popular Front

Jake Hanrahanpopularfront.co
Popular Front is a grassroots media organisation that focuses solely on war and conflict. We go deeper than mainstream news in a way that makes important war coverage accessible for everyone. The podcast focuses on the niche details of modern warfare and under-reported conflict. See more at www.popularfront.co

Episodes

21. Wilayat Sinai: The ISIS Insurgency in Egypt

Yago Rodríguez tells us about Wilayat Sinai, the branch of ISIS in Egypt. We hear how they're launching well organised military attacks, trading weapons with Libya, and doing deals with Gaza. - patreon.com/popularfront - popularfront.co - @jake_hanrahan

Oct 17, 201852 minSeason 1Ep. 21

20. Venezuela's Crushed Rebellion

We speak to Giancarlo Fiorella from In Venezuela Blog about the crushed rebellion in Venezuela. He tells us all about the street clashes, the food crisis, the drone bomb, and the last stand of Oscar Perez. - patreon.com/popularfront - popularfront.co - @jake_hanrahan

Oct 10, 20181 hr 3 minSeason 1Ep. 20

19. On the Frontline of the YPG's Ongoing War

We speak to Firat Batman as he takes a brief rest from fighting against ISIS in their last stronghold in Syria. Firat is a Kurd from Rojava who grew up in Sweden. He's been fighting in Rojava for the YPG for three years and is currently on the final push to chase ISIS out of the last areas they control. - patreon.com/popularfront - popularfront.co - @jake_hanrahan...

Oct 03, 201841 minSeason 1Ep. 19

18. The Rise of the Tiger Forces

Gregory Waters tells us all about the Tiger Forces in Syria, the pro Assad regime militia that's seen as heroes to some and war criminals to others. We'll find out why their leader is so enigmatic, how they're working with the Russian military, and what power they really hold over the region. - patreon.com/popularfront - popularfront.co - @jake_hanrahan...

Sep 26, 201849 minSeason 1Ep. 18

17. Female Guerrilla Warfare

We speak to Ora Szekely about the role of female combatants within various irregular conflicts, from the Colombian rebels of FARC to the Kurdish female fighters of the YPJ in Syria. - patreon.com/popularfront - popularfront.co - @jake_hanrahan

Sep 19, 201844 minSeason 1Ep. 17

16. Keep it Quiet: Insurgent Suppressor Use in Battle

We speak to Everest65, who's been working extensively to gather information about insurgent suppressor use in battle in the Middle East and North Africa. This one is about as niche as it gets. - patreon.com/popularfront - popularfront.co - @jake_hanrahan

Sep 13, 201849 minSeason 1Ep. 16

15. The Idlib Dilemma

The region of Idlib in northwestern Syria has been a fiefdom for jihadist forces for some time, most notably the al-Qaeda offshoot Hayat Tahrir al-Sham who rule about 60% of the region. Russia and the Assad regime are likely to launch an offensive on Idlib very soon, but with three million people living there and many unhappy civilians, it's not as simple as wiping out extremists. Sasha Ghosh-Siminoff tell us why the battle for Idlib will be a huge humanitarian catastrophe. - patreon.com/popular...

Sep 04, 201850 minSeason 1Ep. 15

14. 3D Printed Warfare

We speak to Cody Wilson of Defense Distributed about his highly controversial 3D printed gun project. He also talks about crypto-anarchy, untraceable firearms, and his long battle with the US government. - patreon.com/popularfront - popularfront.co - @jake_hanrahan

Aug 28, 201836 minSeason 1Ep. 14

13. Ukraine is Still at War

The conflict in East Ukraine has become a slow but constant battle from the trenches. Young soldiers are killed almost every week and the separatist held regions are still under the rule of an iron fist, yet the media, both in Ukraine and internationally, seems to have forgotten that Ukraine is still at war. We got some updates on the current state of the conflict from Radio Free Europe's Christopher Miller, who's been covering the conflict from the start. - patreon.com/popularfront - popularfro...

Aug 22, 201859 minSeason 1Ep. 13

12. The Ambazonia Insurgency in Cameroon

In Cameroon a conflict between English speaking Cameroonian rebels and the French speaking Cameroon state forces is rapidly getting worse. Whole villages are being burned, civilians are being killed, and young men are forming militias. There's little coverage in the media about this conflict so far, so we spoke to the only reporter who's been on the ground with the Anglophone militias to find out what's going on. - patreon.com/popularfront - popularfront.co - @jake_hanrahan...

Aug 17, 201845 minSeason 1Ep. 12

11. Tracking Guns Across the World with Silah Report

Ever wondered why some warlords get all the best guns and others are left to craft their own? Or how British made muskets end up on Afghanistan gun markets? Or why the Marines now have a dedicated drone person? If so, you'll love this episode. Discover all things small arms with Silah Report. - patreon.com/popularfront - popularfront.co - @jake_hanrahan...

Aug 07, 201857 minSeason 1Ep. 11

10. ISIS International

Hear Pawel Wojcik talking about how ISIS has gone international, spreading its jihadist Caliphate across the world, setting up effective cells in Libya, Afghanistan, Nigeria, and East Asia. Find out why the fall of Raqqa was not the end of ISIS. - patreon.com/popularfront - popularfront.co - @jake_hanrahan

Jul 31, 20181 hr 16 minSeason 1Ep. 10

09. Aum Shinrikyo: A Japanese Death Cult's Apocalyptic Terrorism

Independent Aum Shinrikyo researcher Sarah Hightower tells us how the Japanese death cult became a terrorist organisation with more than 10,000 members. They produced Sarin gas, they built their own assault rifles, and they even tried to buy bombs from the former Soviet Union. To this day Aum Shinrikyo still exists. - patreon.com/popularfront - popularfront.co - @jake_hanrahan...

Jul 22, 201844 minSeason 1Ep. 9

08. Inside the Battle of Marawi

A first person account from reporter Sean Williams (New Yorker, Harpers) of what it was like inside the battle of Marawi, where Filipino ISIS fighters laid siege to the island city in 2017 for six months. - patreon.com/popularfront - popularfront.co - @jake_hanrahan

Jul 18, 201843 minSeason 1Ep. 8

07. The "Christian Militias" of Iraq and Syria

A very detailed introduction to the many different facets of the so-called "Christian militias" fighting in Iraq and Syria, talking about the history and motivations of the Assyrian/Syriac/Chaldean community. - patreon.com/popularfront - jakehanrahan.com/popularfront - @jake_hanrahan

Jul 10, 20182 hr 33 minSeason 1Ep. 7

06. MS-13 and the WhatsApp Death Squads

After recently returning from El Salvador, journalist Danny Gold tells us about the violence of MS-13 and how evangelical Christianity is tying to quell it. He also explains how paramilitary death squads are organising via WhatsApp to slaughter the gangs in their own neighbourhoods. - jakehanrahan.com - patreon.com/popularfront - @jake_hanrahan

Jul 07, 201854 minSeason 1Ep. 6

05. Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenia's Powder Keg War

Aram Shabanian tells us why the forgotten "frozen conflict" between Armenia and Azerbaijan could explode into a full blown war that pulls in everyone from Russia to India. - jakehanrahan.com - patreon.com/popularfront - @jake_hanrahan

Jul 02, 20181 hr 3 minSeason 1Ep. 5

04. The ISIS Car Bomb Production Line

All about ISIS and their suicide cars (or SVBIEDS—suicide vehicle borne improvised explosive devices) in Iraq, from the switches they use to tricks they played in Mosul. jakehanrahan.com @jake_hanrahan

Jun 09, 20181 hr 11 minSeason 1Ep. 4

03. Portrait Photography on the Rojava Frontlines

Portrait photographer Joey L went to war for the first time in Northern Syria to capture the fight of the Kurdish YPG, documenting the culture in a way he says photojournalists can't. jakehanrahan.com/popularfront @jake_hanrahan

May 07, 201840 minSeason 1Ep. 3

02. All American Militias

Find out from Hampton Stall, the guy who runs "Militia Watch", all about US militias and their love for guns, liberty, and often Donald Trump. jakehanrahan.com/popularfront @jake_hanrahan

May 07, 20181 hr 11 minSeason 1Ep. 2

01. The Nazis Fighting for Assad in Syria

Find out from Pascal Andresen about the far-right Syrian Social Nationalist Party and the militants they've sent to go and fight for Assad in Syria. jakehanrahan.com/popularfront @jake_hanrahan

Mar 27, 201838 minSeason 1Ep. 1