As it happens all too often in Russian rumor-ridden politics, news that is taken seriously comes from abroad, and the Reuters analysis on Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s newly-crystallized intention to return to the Kremlin made a stronger impression than most half-informed speculations (Nezavisimaya Gazeta, July... MORE

Since the mid-1980s, Abd al-Aziz al-Hilu has been one of the leading rebel commanders in Sudan. Well known for his organizational skills and dedication to replacing the Arab-dominated central government of Sudan, al-Hilu has advocated for a more broad-based federalist system that would recognize the... MORE

The split in the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on the eve of a military operation in the Kurram agency is a victory for the Pakistan army. In a surprising move, Fazal Saeed Haqqani, a relatively lesser known TTP commander in Kurram Agency, announced on June 27... MORE

The Jamestown Foundation recently posed a series of questions in an online interview with Abdurahman M. Abdullahi (Baadiyow), an Islamic scholar and prominent leader of the Islah (Reform) Movement in Somalia.  The interview was designed to shed light on the views of Somalia’s Muslim Brotherhood... MORE

Libyan stability is critical for Niger’s security as well as for its economy. The on-going crisis complicates the already demanding task that the new democratic government of the country faces in strengthening the Nigerien economy and securing its domestic stability (see Terrorism Monitor April 14;... MORE

The foundation of China’s policies toward Russia and Central Asia since 1991 lies in the border treaties it signed with these states over this period.  Those treaties demarcated the borders between China and all the post-Soviet successor states: Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.  These treaties... MORE

Garun Kurbanov, the head of the press service of Dagestan’s president, was shot to death along with his driver in the Dagestani capital Makhachkala yesterday (July 28). The incident took place around 8:15 a.m., local time, near Kurbanov’s home. Both Kurbanov and his driver died... MORE

China Reacts to Admiral Mullen Visit Beijing heralded US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, visit to China as an important step forward, signifying the normalization US-China military relations. Chinese magazine Liaowang described military-to-military relations as an important barometer of US-China... MORE

A high-speed train crash near Wenzhou in the coastal Chinese province of Zhejiang took the lives of at least 39 people on July 23 and has raised equal measures of fear, anger and astonishment across the country. Preliminary reports indicate that a bullet train running... MORE

Discussion about who might become the next president of Kazakhstan after the long-serving incumbent, Nursultan Nazarbayev, leaves the political scene has been a favorite pastime for years for anyone with a professional interest in the country. Last week, these conversations were fueled by media reports... MORE