Introduction Leaders in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan were stunned in late November when a senior U.S. government official issued a strong verbal attack on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). On November 21 in Washington, D.C., U.S. Assistant... MORE

The U.S. State Department offered a $4 million reward for Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al-Qosi (a.k.a. Abu Khubaib al-Sudani) through its Rewards for Justice program in November, bringing the longtime al-Qaeda figure back into the international spotlight. The reward comes over seven years after al-Qosi was... MORE

Following a notable lull in militant activity, Pakistan is now facing a unique militant escalation targeted against its security forces in the North Waziristan area and bordering regions. Despite the Taliban force largely being subdued following the concerted counter-terrorism efforts by Pakistan’s military, such as... MORE

Introduction The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the central component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in South Asia, has been a source of significant attention and controversy (China Brief, January 12, 2018; China Brief, February 15). Parts of South Asia, the Middle East, Central... MORE

One of the most recent developments related to Islamic State’s (IS) activities in South Asia was the announcement of two new wilayat (governorates)—Wilayat-e-Hind and Wilayat-e-Pakistan (See Terrorism Monitor, July 3). The announcements were made by IS’ media wing after the concerted Easter Day suicide attacks... MORE

On September 23, Asim Umar, chief of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), was killed in a joint operation by American and Afghan forces on a Taliban compound in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. This is the latest in a string of setbacks suffered by al-Qaeda in... MORE

Introduction At the end of August, Islamic Republic of Iran (IRIN) Foreign Minister Mohammad Zarif visited Beijing for what appeared to be a routine visit. However, soon after the visit, it was reported in the media that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) had agreed... MORE

Following the death of Hamza bin Laden, al-Qaeda has lost another key leader in late September after U.S. and Afghan security forces killed al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) emir Asim Umar in Musa Qila district of Helmand province. Six other senior members of AQIS... MORE

The Russian Armed Forces staged their annual strategic-level military exercise this past week (September 16–21), alongside units from seven partner countries—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, China, India and Pakistan—all of them Moscow’s allies in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). This year’s strategic command-staff exercise (strategicheskiye komandno-shtabnyye ucheniya—SKShU), Tsentr... MORE

The surfacing of a new Baluch separatist organization in Pakistan’s terrorism-ridden Baluchistan province marks a major new development. The newly established organization, Baluch Raji Ajohi Sangar (BRAS) (in English, Baluch National Freedom Movement), is an alliance of three Baluch nationalist-separatist terrorist groups—Baluchistan Republican Army (BRA),... MORE