Latest Articles about Military/Security

Brief: Security Services and ISWAP May Be Pushing Nigeria’s Shia Minority Toward Iran
Executive Summary: Ongoing pressure by Nigerian security services and Sunni militants may be pushing the country’s small Shia population toward Iran. Nigeria’s Shia, who comprise some 1.3 percent of the total population, are likely to be influenced by Iran through members of the Lebanese diaspora... MORE

Pakistan Bans Iran-Backed Zainebiyoun Brigade Amid Regional Turmoil
Executive Summary: Pakistan banned the Iran-backed Zainebiyoun Brigade on April 11, 2024, designating them as a terrorist group. The move is believed to be an effort to crack down on Iranian recruitment of disaffected Pakistani Shia, who are being used to fight in Iran’s proxy... MORE

Interest in 3D-Printed Firearms Rising Among Islamist Militants
Executive Summary: Traditionally, Islamist militants have not been quick to adopt the newest drone and 3D printing technology, but the popularization of 3D-printed firearms (3DPFs) on Islamic State platforms suggests that that is changing. If 3DPFs become more widespread, malicious actors will be able to... MORE

What Motivated Islamic State’s Mosque Attack in Muscat?
Executive Summary: Islamic State (IS) militants conducted a well-planned strike in Oman on a Shi’ite mosque on July 15, 2024. While early reports focused on the attack’s potential goal of inciting sectarian violence, it is more likely to have been meant as a warning to... MORE

How al-Sharaa’s New Syrian Regime Masks Its Islamism Behind Bureaucracy
Executive Summary: Former jihadist Ahmed al-Sharaa and a coalition of militant groups led by his Committee for the Liberation of the Levant (HTS) successfully overthrew the brutal al-Assad regime in Syria on December 8, 2024, leaving the fate of the country uncertain. While al-Sharaa has... MORE

Moscow Warns Oslo on Svalbard but Suggests ‘Deal’ with United States on Arctic
Executive Summary: Moscow has declared that Oslo strengthening its defenses on Svalbard is a violation of the Svalbard Treaty, implying that Russia views itself as a defender of that treaty and could take military action to defend it. Nikolai Patrushev, a hardline Kremlin aide close... MORE

The PRC’s Robotics Industry—Sunny Cheung’s Testimony Before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission
The following is a lightly edited version of testimony delivered by Jamestown Fellow for China Studies Sunny Cheung. The testimony was delivered before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission at a hearing held on February 6, 2025 on the topic “Made in China 2025—Who... MORE

Xi Struggles to Keep Military Construction Reform on Course at Two Sessions
Executive Summary: Corruption within the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has stymied efforts to deepen coordination in the military-industrial sector and related military equipment departments. The substance of Xi Jinping’s speech to military delegates at the Two Sessions was similar to his 2019 speech, focusing on... MORE

Russia Plans to Turn Belarus Into Launching Pad for Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles
Executive Summary: The Kremlin announced its decision in December 2024 to deploy the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBM) to Belarus. Minsk, however, does not have complete information about the deployment parameters. One missile regiment of Russian Strategic Missile Forces equipped with 8 to 12 Oreshnik... MORE

The PLAN’s Tasman Sea Drill: A Military Response to AUKUS
Executive Summary: The People’s Liberation Army Navy conducted two live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea in February without providing customary notification to Australia or New Zealand and causing at least 49 civilian aircraft to divert course. The Tasman Sea drill was designed to demonstrate the... MORE