
Latest Articles about South Asia

China’s Future Naval Base in Cambodia and the Implications for India
Introduction At the 2019 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, People’s Republic of China (PRC) Defense Minister Wei Fenghe dismissed a question on whether the PRC is seeking a future military presence in Cambodia (VOA Cambodia, June 3). This question arose following an assessment by the U.S.... MORE

Unveiling the Role of Women in Jihadist Groups
On July 21, two back-to-back terror attacks rocked Dera Ismail Khan in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The first was carried out by two unidentified gunmen, who opened fire at a checkpoint at Kotla Saidan, killing two policemen. Soon after, a suicide bomber struck a hospital to... MORE

Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar: Provocateur of Kashmir’s Enduring Terrorist Movement
On June 12, motorcycle-borne militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district killed five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. Kashmir-based Al-Umar-Mujahideen (AuM), a largely inactive terrorist group, has claimed responsibility for the attack (Daily Excelsior, June 13). These fatal shootings and grenade attacks targeting Indian... MORE

Al-Qaeda’s Ayman al-Zawahiri Invokes Kashmir Again, Calls for ‘One’ Jihad
On July 9, al-Qaeda's Emir Ayman al- Zawahiri incited violence against India and Pakistan by vehemently criticizing these neighboring countries for the plight of Muslims in Kashmir. Zawahiri’s video message titled "Don't Forget Kashmir" was released by al-Qaeda's propaganda arm, As-Sahab media foundation, on the... MORE

Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka: The Easter Bombings and Beyond
The series of tragic bombings across Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday has placed the island-nation at the forefront of concern regarding a possible new Islamic State (IS) operation in South Asia. The exact nature and direction of this dynamic is not yet clear and may... MORE

The Prospects for Sino-Indian Relations During Modi’s Second Term
Introduction On May 30, Narendra Modi was sworn in for a second term as India’s Prime Minister. Conspicuous by their absence at the inauguration ceremony were Imran Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan; Lobsang Sangay, President of the Central Tibetan Authority (CTA), more commonly known... MORE


Two New IS Wilayat in South Asia: IS Reinvigorates Itself in Pakistan and India
After the unexpected terrorist attack in Sri Lanka in May, Islamic State’s (IS) Central Shura (council) announced the establishment of two new Wilayat (governorates) in South Asia. The seven simultaneous and well-concerted terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday were orchestrated by National Tawheed... MORE

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai—The ISI-Approved Leader of the Taliban Negotiation Team
In February, the Taliban named Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai as the head of its 14-member team that would participate in negotiations with U.S. Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad (Pajhwok, February 12). Stanikzai has led the Taliban team not only in several rounds of... MORE

Tajik Military Increasingly Part of Russian Army in All But Name
Tajikistan’s military, according to Moscow-based defense analyst Vladimir Mukhin, “today represents a small outpost of the Russian Army. It is completely equipped with Russian arms, has the same organizational structure,” its soldiers and officers are being trained by Russians and in Russian military schools, and... MORE