The Afghan Taliban, formally called the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, has proved to be resilient in its commitment to imposing its own version of Islam. The hardline movement is steered by a dozen veteran leaders collectively called the Rahbari Shura, better known as the Quetta... MORE

The 17th round of India-China Special Representative Talks (SR Talks) on boundary disputes between the two countries concluded in New Delhi on February 11. China was represented by State Councilor Yang Jiechi, and India by National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon. An anodyne press release issued... MORE

New Delhi has invited Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to be the chief guest at its annual Republic Day parade, which celebrates both Indian democracy, but also showcases its military. One country in particular that will be keenly watching the visit, which will commence on... MORE

Widespread violence, marked by protest rallies, hartals (general shutdowns), group clashes and  bombings have led to massive confrontations between secular and Islamist forces in Bangladesh over the last year. Now, al-Qaeda leader Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri has issued a call for jihad in Bangladesh, the fourth... MORE

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the CIA conducted a joint operation on February 12, 2010 in which they captured senior Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in the Pakistani city of Karachi. The ruthless commander was once the nightmare of the United States and the... MORE

Afghan Taliban insurgents received a huge setback on September 6 when one of their top operational commanders, Mullah Sangeen Zadran, was killed by a U.S. drone strike on a compound in Ghulam Khan area of North Waziristan Agency (NWA). Zadran was a senior leader of... MORE

If all goes as planned, then next year the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) will begin withdrawing from Afghanistan, completing its departure by the end of 2014. Logistical elements have already begun to be withdrawn by the United States and its Allies. But rising political... MORE

Fourteen border guards in the southeastern Iranian region of Saravan were assassinated and five seriously wounded on October 25 by a shadowy militant Sunni group known as Jaysh al-Adl (JA – Army of Justice) (IRNA, October 25; Mehr News, October 25). In retaliation, Iranian authorities... MORE

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakimullah Mahsud was killed by a predator strike on November 1 in Pakistan's North Waziristan region. After a brief tug of war for leadership, the Pakistani Taliban central shura (consultative council) elected Maulana Fazlullah as the new amir of the TTP... MORE

With China promoting its own Silk Road vision in Central Asia, it seems that the New Silk Road Initiative promoted by the United States has been eclipsed. Nonetheless, there is still an opportunity for the US to promote much-needed trade relations between Central Asia and... MORE