Latest Articles about South Asia
Afghanistan and Iraq: Two Sunni War Theaters Evolving Into One?
The lack of reliable metrics that can be used to measure progress or the lack thereof in the war on terrorism is a continuing problem. This is particularly the case when trying to assess what appears to be an evolving and common approach to the... MORE
The Taliban’s Turf War in South Waziristan
A deadly split has opened between the native Pashtun Taliban and non-native al-Qaeda-linked Uzbek militants in South Waziristan, a tribal agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan. More than 200 Uzbeks have thus far been killed since the outbreak of fighting on... MORE
Transforming Pakistan’s Frontier Corps
While the jury is still out on whether General Pervez Musharraf's limitations in overpowering the Taliban in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border areas are primarily an outcome of "incapacity" or "unwillingness" (or both), the United States has committed itself to helping Pakistan transform its Frontier Corps into... MORE
The New Issue of Technical Mujahid, a Training Manual for Jihadis
The al-Fajr Information Center, a jihadi organization, recently published the February 2007 issue of Technical Mujahid, a magazine released once every two months that is available online. The release marks the second issue of the publication. The various jihadi websites have posted links to different... MORE
Despite Setbacks, JMB Remains Resilient in Bangladesh
The arrests of three Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) operatives on March 14 in Rangpur and their subsequent interrogations revealed the organization's plan to conduct new terrorist attacks in Bangladesh. The attacks were timed to take place before the executions of six JMB kingpins—including Abdur Rahman... MORE
Uzbek Fighters in Pakistan Reportedly Return to Afghanistan
Since the fighting between local militants and foreign guerrillas began in South Waziristan's capital of Wana and its suburban areas on March 18, more than 160 people have been killed in the violence (Pakistan Times, March 24). The action may well have been generated by... MORE
Khalid Sheikh Muhammad: Waging Jihad from Prison
Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri have long made clear to their lieutenants that the road to paradise can be found in the enemies' prisons as well as on the battlefield. From prison, they argue, a captured al-Qaeda leader can mislead his interrogators, provide accurate... MORE
GIMF Releases New Doctrinal Lessons for Mujahideen
The latest in a year-long series on proper beliefs and doctrine of the mujahid was released on March 14 by the Global Islamic Media Front. The series, entitled "Lessons in Doctrine (Prepared for the Mujahideen)" is a program prepared specifically for the mujahideen of Iraq... MORE
Troop Defections Threaten Pakistan’s Operations in Tribal Regions
At the end of February, Vice President Dick Cheney visited Pakistan to pressure Pervez Musharraf's government to crack down on insurgent activity on the border with Afghanistan. Cheney's visit has highlighted how Pakistan's will and power to fight Taliban militants in the country's northwestern highlands... MORE
Afghanistan: Forgetting the Lessons of History
Afghanistan is again being lost to the West. The insurgency may drag on for many months or several years, but the tide has turned. Like Alexander's Greeks, the British and the Soviets before the U.S.-led coalition, inferior Afghan insurgents have forced far superior Western military... MORE