Executive Summary: The Arakan Army (AA), an ethno-nationalist rebel group active in Myanmar, has managed to seize some 90 percent of Rakhine State, with several major cities under siege and the entirety of the border with Bangladesh under their control. The group is receiving increasing... MORE

Executive Summary: In the aftermath of the Indian air strikes on Pakistan on May 6, militant groups active in and around Pakistan took a variety of approaches to responding to the brief escalation within their respective propaganda apparatuses: Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) initially... MORE

Executive Summary: ISWAP has launched an unprecedented wave of raids on Nigerian military supercamps, signaling a shift in momentum and a potential end to the long-standing stalemate in northeastern Nigeria. The group’s recent successes—especially the May 4 Buni Gari raid—highlight its growing operational capacity and... MORE

Executive Summary: The March 2025 anti-Hamas protests in Gaza reflected a moment enabled by Hamas’s temporary inability to suppress opposition due to wartime losses. The degradation of its Qassam Brigades, many of whom also serve in internal policing roles, weakened the group’s control over the... MORE

Executive Summary: Foreign-led jihadist groups Malhama Tactical and Albanian Tactical are now training Syria’s newly formed army and special forces under the post-Assad government. These groups, once aligned with Hay’at Taḥrīr al-Shām (HTS) and steeped in jihadist ideology, have retained autonomy and influence through their... MORE

Executive Summary: Following the ousting of longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Islamist factions have filled the power vacuum in Bangladesh, leading to a surge in anti-Hindu violence. These groups have capitalized on growing anti-India sentiment—especially after the Pahalgam terror attack—to justify attacks against the Hindu... MORE

Executive Summary: An ultranationalist subset of Myanmar’s community of Buddhist monks have become active supporters of the military junta, offering the regime legitimacy and support in the ongoing civil war. This alliance reflects a broader pattern of authoritarian regimes weaponizing religious authorities to suppress dissent... MORE

Executive Summary: Ongoing pressure by Nigerian security services and Sunni militants may be pushing the country’s small Shia population toward Iran. Nigeria’s Shia, who comprise some 1.3 percent of the total population, are likely to be influenced by Iran through members of the Lebanese diaspora... MORE

Executive Summary: Pakistan banned the Iran-backed Zainebiyoun Brigade on April 11, 2024, designating them as a terrorist group. The move is believed to be an effort to crack down on Iranian recruitment of disaffected Pakistani Shia, who are being used to fight in Iran’s proxy... MORE

Executive Summary: Traditionally, Islamist militants have not been quick to adopt the newest drone and 3D printing technology, but the popularization of 3D-printed firearms (3DPFs) on Islamic State platforms suggests that that is changing. If 3DPFs become more widespread, malicious actors will be able to... MORE