
Latest Articles about South Asia

Commander Muneeb: The Mind Behind the TTP’s Media Transformation
Executive Summary: Chaudhry Muneeb Ur Rehman Jatt, better known as Commander Muneeb, is a former al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) leader who revolutionized the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) recruitment and propaganda efforts. The close coordination between al-Qaeda and its former leaders and the TTP, reflects... MORE

Russia Seeks to Extend Transport Routes to Afghanistan
Executive Summary: Western sanctions against Russia have hampered northern cargo transportation routes used by most Eurasian states, leading Russia to increase relations with the Taliban government on transport communications to connect to the South Asian market. Extending the International North-South Transport Corridor to Afghanistan and... MORE

Countering the High-Denomination Currency Funding Militancy in Pakistan
Executive Summary: Terrorist groups in Pakistan frequently use high-denomination currency to finance their operations. Permitting a large number of high-value notes to be in circulation makes it easy for bad actors to transfer considerable amounts of money without a digital footprint, making illicit activities easier... MORE

Jihadist Threats and Propaganda Campaigns Target Indian Elections
Executive Summary: Islamist groups, including al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), and Islamic State in Hind Province (ISHP), attempted to destabilize India during the legislative elections from April to June with threats, anti-Hindu/anti-democratic propaganda, and terrorist attacks. Most of... MORE

Kremlin to Remove Taliban From List of Terrorist Organizations
Executive Summary: Moscow announced that it plans to remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations to normalize relations with Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government to combat terrorism in the region. Russia sees the Taliban as its best partner to counter the threat from the Islamic... MORE

Putin’s Much Ado About the BRICS Summit
Executive Summary: The BRICS summit, held in Kazan, was met with great fanfare in Russian propaganda. Propagandists hailed it for its “epochal” significance. Moscow commentators promoted the idea that the BRICS summit demonstrated that Russia is not and cannot be isolated in the international arena.... MORE

Pakistan Strengthens Azerbaijan’s Military Muscle
Executive Summary: Azerbaijan and Pakistan signed a $1.6 billion arms deal in September to supply Azerbaijan with the joint Pakistani-Chinese JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets, strengthening the military partnership between Islamabad and Baku. In the last several years, Baku has been diversifying its international... MORE

Azerbaijan Applies for BRICS Membership
Executive Summary: Azerbaijan announced its application for BRICS membership on August 20, which has been backed by Russian leaders and emphasizes Azerbaijan’s goal of strengthening ties with China following the China-Azerbaijan joint strategic partnership declaration in July. The increased importance of the South Caucasus region... MORE

Mir Bangulzai: Commander ‘Returned From the Dead’ to Boost Baloch Insurgency in Pakistan
Executive Summary: Mir Abdul Nabi Bangulzai is a well-known and well-liked Baloch guerrilla commander who gained renown for having been mistakenly declared dead in 2016 following a raid by the Pakistani military. Since then, Bangulzai has become a key figure in reconciling disparate Baloch militant... MORE

Moscow and Islamabad Discuss LNG Cooperation
Executive Summary: Pakistan and Russia are discussing a potential liquefied natural gas pipeline (LNG) to deliver Russian LNG to Pakistan, opening another market for Russia’s sanctions-bound energy industry. Another project that Pakistan is working on is the Iran-Pakistan (IP) pipeline, which has faced numerous obstacles... MORE