Latest Articles about Pakistan
The Shia Fatemiyoun Brigade: Iran’s Prospective Proxy Militia in Afghanistan
In December 2020, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif offered the Afghan government use of the Iranian-backed Shia militia, Fatemiyoun Brigade, to fight Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-K) in Afghanistan. In an interview with the Afghan English daily, Tolo News, Zarif described the Fatemiyoun fighters... MORE
Pakistan’s Dual Counter-Terrorism Challenges: Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan’s Merger and Cross-Border Campaign from Afghanistan
On February 26, Nooristan, known as Hasan Baba, was killed by Pakistani security forces. He was a commander of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who had been involved in the murder of more than 50 security forces personnel since 2007. His death represented one of Pakistan’s... MORE
Iran’s Fuel Smuggling Paranoia in the Baluchistan Border Region
On February 22, Iranian military forces opened fire on a group of Baluch fuel carriers who were protesting against the government for blocking their ability to take fuel loads into Pakistan. For decades, the livelihoods of thousands of Baluch families have depended on transporting cheap... MORE
Ahmad Omar Saeed Shaikh: New Updates in Daniel Pearl Murder Case
The Supreme Court of Pakistan's acquittal of Ahmad Omar Saeed Shaikh is a recent but shocking development in the Daniel Pearl murder case. The kidnapping and beheading of the Wall Street Journal correspondent in Pakistan riveted international attention due to the fact that the victim... MORE
What’s Behind Taliban Leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar’s Heightened Diplomatic Visits?
On February 16, the Taliban’s deputy leader and chief of its Qatar political office, Mullah Abdul Ghani, better known as Mullah Baradar (meaning brother), issued an “open letter” to the American public calling on “the American side to remain committed to the full implementation” of... MORE
Islamic State Khorasan Province Attack on Hazaras Endangers Pakistan’s Baluchistan Province
On January 3, 11 coal miners from the minority Hazara Shiite community were killed in Pakistan’s western Baluchistan province, reflecting the increasing security challenge in the restive province bordering Afghanistan and Iran. The attack also fuels sectarian tensions in Pakistan and raises concerns about the... MORE
Baluch Nationalist-Separatist Militant Alliance Threatens Pakistani Security Forces
Pakistan’s restive Baluchistan province has experienced a fresh wave of nationalist-separatist terrorist attacks since 2019, with new targets indicating shifting trends. Baluch nationalist–separatist militant groups have not only ramped up their attacks, but also have changed strategy and formed a new alliance. The implications of... MORE
The Mysterious Case of Shaikh Abdul Rahim Muslim Dost – The Founder of IS-K
On November 14, the spokesman for the Pakistan Army in a joint press conference with the Pakistani foreign minister accused an Afghan national, Shaikh Abdul Rahim Muslim Dost, of organizing a group of fighters affiliated with Islamic State Khurasan Province (IS-K) for the purposes of... MORE
Saif al-Adl: The Last Candidate Left to Lead al-Qaeda after Zawahiri
Saif al-Adl is among a handful of remaining top al-Qaeda leaders and has been widely reported to be the one to take control of the international terrorist group if/when current chief Ayman al-Zawahiri dies. He is one of the most experienced al-Qaeda operatives and is... MORE
The Jihadists’ War in Pakistan after the U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan: Lessons from Al-Qaeda’s Assassination of Benazir Bhutto
The changing narratives and operations of al-Qaeda and its Pakistani ally, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), in recent years indicate that the anti-state jihadist war in Pakistan will not end with a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 or thereafter (The News, March 1). Recent speeches by... MORE