Latest Articles about South Asia
Al-Qaeda’s Talented Smuggler: Abd al-Rahman al-Juhni
Despite the political rhetoric that al-Qaeda has been decimated, the organization’s core leadership remains a potent threat, as demonstrated by the emergence of the Khorasan Group, a cadre of operatives from parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan. An intricate smuggling network spanning large swaths of territory... MORE
Putin’s Passage to India: Where Did It Lead?
Russian President Vladimir Putin termed his recent trip to India “productive” and “positive.” Indeed, twenty agreements were signed with India, pertaining mainly to economic issues, energy supplies and arms sales (Kremlin.ru, December 11). Thus, Russian petroleum giant Rosenft will sell ten million tons (200,000 barrels... MORE
Uzbekistan Seeks to Reinvigorate Its Diplomatic Clout in the Region (Part Two)
Since the fall of 2014, Tashkent has been boosting diplomatic engagement with its neighbors (see Part One in EDM, October 3). In particular, Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov met with President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan in Dushanbe on September 11 (press-service.uz September 13, 2014), and visited... MORE
Assessing China’s Afghan Peace Play
Breaking with decades of distancing itself from Afghanistan’s various armed conflicts, the Chinese government has offered to facilitate peace talks between the Afghan national government and the Afghan Taliban insurgency movement. On November 29, Sun Yuxi, China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, for the first time... MORE
Lashkar-e-Zil: Al-Qaeda’s ‘Shock and Awe’ Force
One effect of the rise of the Islamic State organization is that its rival al-Qaeda has had to try harder to attract global attention, funding, and recruits. The establishment of a new al-Qaeda branch, al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, is one major step taken by... MORE
The Maldives-Syria Connection: Jihad in Paradise?
The Maldives, the Muslim-majority archipelago country in the Indian Ocean, is going through a tumultuous time, facing increasing Islamist activities at home, an exodus of radicalized youth to join the jihad in Syria and a growing domestic clamor for the implementation of Shari’a law. This... MORE
Sino-Indian Joint Military Exercises: Out of Step
The Indian and Chinese militaries will participate in joint counter-terrorism exercises on November 16–27, in the western Indian city of Pune. The exercises will quickly follow Chinese President Xi Jinping’s three-day visit to India in September, which was intended as an economic summit with Indian... MORE
Apocalyptic Jihadist: Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent Chief Aasim Umar
Following years of futile attempts and intermittent incitements to South Asia’s teeming Muslim communities, the transnational terrorist group al-Qaeda finally formalized its operational presence in the region on September 3, 2014, by announcing the formation of a dedicated jihadist wing called Qaedat al-jihad fi Shabhi... MORE
Pakistan’s Prison Break Expert: A Profile of Adnan Rashid and His Group Ansar al-Aseer
Few people in the Pakistani jihadist scene have managed to ascend in the jihadist ranks as quickly as Adnan Rashid. A former professional airman who served in the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Rashid gained fame among jihadists for his planning and execution of prison-breaks. These... MORE
Al-Qaeda’s Future in Pakistan Amid the Rise of Islamic State
Al-Qaeda appears to be on the back foot globally. The Islamic State organization, previously the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and years before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, is dominating the global jihad scene. More than 19 Islamist militant groups worldwide have pledged allegiance... MORE