Latest Articles about Afghanistan
The Taliban Takeover in Afghanistan and Militant Mergers Bolster Baluch Insurgents in Pakistan
On January 20, a bomb blast at a crowded market killed three civilians and injured more than 25 others in Lahore. The attack was executed by the Baluch Nationalist Army (BNA), a newly formed Baluch ethno-separatist group, who made its presence known in Pakistan (Dawn,... MORE
Ties that Bind? Deconstructing the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban’s Partnership and Counter-Terrorism Options for Pakistan
In late December 2021 and early January 2022, Afghan Taliban fighters stationed at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, also known as the Durand Line, disrupted the border fencing near the Kunar and Nimruz provinces (Dawn, December 23, 2021; Express Tribune, January 3; Terrorism Monitor, January 14). [1]... MORE
Pakistan’s Man in Kabul: A Profile of the Afghan Taliban’s Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi
On January 23-25, a Taliban delegation met with Western diplomats and activists in Oslo. While the Norwegian government stressed that the meetings were not “legitimation or recognition of the Taliban,” the Taliban described the talks as “a step to legitimize” their rule (Economic Times, January... MORE
Muhammad al-Uyghuri: The New Face of IS Khorasan’s Anti-China Propaganda
On October 8, 2021, an Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) operative detonated a suicide bomb inside of Gozar-e-Sayed Abad Mosque in Kunduz, Afghanistan, reportedly killing more than 50 people and wounding over 100 others (The Express Tribune, October 8, 2021). The attack targeted Shia... MORE
Is Afghanistan Still a Safe Haven for the Pakistani Taliban? Assessing the Mysterious Assassination of Mohammad Khorasani
Since the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan and the fall of Kabul to the Afghan Taliban on August 15, 2021, the security situation for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan has considerably improved. The TTP had established its bases in eastern Afghan provinces after the... MORE
The Islamic State’s Anti-Russia Propaganda Campaign and Criticism of Taliban-Russian Relations
In his first speech following the official declaration of the Islamic State’s (IS) caliphate in 2014, the new caliph, Abubakr al-Baghdadi, delivered his famous audio statement titled, “A Message to the Mujahidin and the Muslim Ummah in the Month of Ramadan.” In the speech, al-Baghdadi... MORE
Pakistani Taliban to Benefit from Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Fencing Dispute
On December 18, 2021, Afghan Taliban soldiers disrupted the erection of a security fence by the Pakistani military along the two countries’ mutual border and seized spools of barbed wire (Express Tribune, January 3). Defending his government’s move to disrupt the fencing work, the Afghan... MORE
India’s Dilemmas in Engaging the Taliban in Afghanistan: Too Little, Too Late?
On November 10, India hosted the Third Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan, which saw the participation of National Security Advisers from India, Iran, Russia and three Central Asian states. Given the long-running India-Pakistan battle for influence in Afghanistan and ongoing Sino-Indian border tensions, Pakistan and... MORE
Islamic State in Khorasan Province Counters Taliban with Formidable Media and Propaganda Offensive
Since the Taliban captured Kabul and installed its new government of Afghanistan in August, Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) has been carrying out numerous attacks. ISKP has targeted both the Taliban and vulnerable minorities, such as Shias (Terrorism Monitor, November 19). One of the... MORE
India Responds to New Kashmiri Militant Factions’ Campaign Against Civilians
After a period of relative dormancy, India’s restive Kashmir region has been struck by violence again, witnessing an increase in the targeted killings of civilians. In October alone, there were 45 deaths, including 13 civilians and 12 security force personnel. With the killing of a... MORE