Latest Articles about Southeast Asia
Tackling Islamic State Recruitment in Southeast Asia: The Arrest of Karen Aisha Hamidon
Karen Aisha Hamidon (a.k.a. Karen Aisha al-Muslimah) was arrested on October 11, 2017, by the Philippines’ National Bureau of Investigation (Counterterrorism Division) in Taguig City for luring foreign and local Muslims to join the Maute group (the so-called “Islamic State of Lanao”) to fight against... MORE
Rohingya Crisis: Will China’s Mediation Succeed?
During his visits to Dhaka, Bangladesh and Naypyitaw, Myanmar on November 18 and 19, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi put forward a three-phase plan to resolve the Rohingya crisis. First, Wang called for a ceasefire in Myanmar’s devastated Rakhine state, which is at the center... MORE
Myanmar’s Tatmadaw and the Making of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army
Since August 25, Myanmar’s security forces have conducted what the United Nations (UN) has described as “a textbook case of ethnic cleansing” against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar’s Rakhine state. It has forced more than 589,000 Rohingya civilians to flee to Bangladesh, killing an estimated 3,000... MORE
The Uighurs and China’s Regional Counter-Terrorism Efforts
Members of China’s Uighur population have played a small but important role in the spread of global jihad, and Beijing is playing an increasingly assertive role in pursuing them as China’s influence grows. China’s Uighur exodus began following the 2009 riots in Xinjiang that led... MORE
The Maute Brothers’ Path to Militancy in the Islamic State Inspired Fighting in Mindanao
On May 23, 2017, Islamic State (IS) forces invaded the town of Marawi in Mindanao, Philippines. At first, it was unclear whether reports of the invasion were an exaggeration. However, after the fighting persisted for more than one month, with over 200 Maute militants and... MORE
Philippines Choose Chinese Investment Over Territorial Defense
In early April, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte made waves by promising to improve Philippine defenses on islands in the South China Sea. “We have to fortify. I must build bunkers there or houses and make provisions for habitation.” Renovation and expansion of facilities on Paga-Asa... MORE