Briefs
A Harbinger of the Taliban’s Future Policies: Mohammad Mohaqiq
As the Taliban completed its takeover of Kabul on August 15, a group of influential Afghan political leaders boarded a plan and escaped to Pakistan. The delegation included the speaker of the lower house of the Afghan parliament, Rehman Rehmani, as well as Ahmad Zia... MORE
Back to the Herat Frontlines: The Return of Ismael Khan
On July 9, as the Taliban made rapid gains in the western Afghan province of Herat, Ismael Khan vowed to raise a civilian militia and push back the insurgent organization. In the 24 hours before Khan’s remarks, the Taliban had captured eight districts in Herat... MORE
Latest Profiles
Abu Zar Al-Burmi—The Ideologue Spearheading an Anti-China Message and Reinvigorating the Pakistani Taliban
On August 26, a prominent jihadist ideologue affiliated with al-Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Mufti Abu Zar-al-Burmi (hereafter Abu Zar), issued a congratulatory audio-visual statement praising the Taliban for reestablishing Islamic rule in Afghanistan. While he vehemently criticized Islamic State (IS) for its hasty and... MORE
Boko Haram’s Bakuras: The Commander and Cleric Reviving Abubakar Shekau’s Legacy
On June 25, Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) released a video through Islamic State (IS) media channels. It was the first formal video the group had released in more than a year, indicating that this rare release featured important content. The video showed... MORE
Pakistani Separatist Renounces Anti-State Activities: Abdul Hameed Khan
On July 3, Abdul Hameed Khan, the former chief of the outlawed Balawaristan National Front (BNF Hameed group or BNF-H) formally announced his return to politics in Pakistan's northern Gilgit-Baltistan region. In his statement, Hameed said that he would abandon divisive politics and apologized for... MORE
U.S. Designation Revives Concerns Over Ikrima, the Deadly al-Shabaab Strategist
On August 6, the United States designated al-Shabaab leaders Ali Mohammed Raga, a.k.a Ali Dheere, and Abdikadir Mohamed Abdikadir, a.k.a Ikrima, as global terrorists in response to terrorism activities in Kenya and Somalia. The designation came at a time when the Somali-based militant group had... MORE