Afghanistan

Abstract: Starting around February 2023, a wave of Taliban operations against Islamic State Khorasan (ISK) led some observers to herald the Taliban’s “counterterrorism” capabilities and declare ISK a defeated, or at least irrelevant, organization. Across the Durand Line, however, in July 2023, ISK perpetrated one of its deadliest attacks since …

Two years ago, on 28 August 2021, the final British evacuation flight took off from Kabul airport. Thus ended 20 years of British endeavour in Afghanistan. Some was ineffectual, but some inspirational. This is the story of a major success, but with a decidedly bitter aftertaste. Just before midnight on …

On Sunday, August 20, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Afghanistan, Fasihuddin Fitrah said, “Pakistan should search for their enemies on their own soil. As we have promised, no country will be harmed and no country will be attacked from the soil of Afghanistan, we adhere to this …

As Afghanistan marks two years under Taliban rule, the world remains apprehensive about the nation’s potential resurgence as a safe haven for international terrorism. The world’s worst fears were confirmed over a year ago when the U.S. identified al-Qaeda leader Aimen al-Zawahiri in Kabul before killing him in a drone …

Wagner could be absorbed into Russia’s Defense Ministry or its military intelligence arm. A Russian general could also be installed to lead the group, U.S. and Western officials said. The Kremlin is considering options on bringing the private military group Wagner under its direct control after the presumed death of …

Mohammad Hossein Velayati, an Iranian photojournalist working for the Tasnim News Agency, was arrested by the Taliban in Kabul. Iran was determined “to pursue securing the release of a photojournalist in Afghanistan,” Iranian President’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan Affairs Hassan Kazemi Qomi said earlier this week. Reports state that Mohammad …

There has been a gradual rise in isolated militant activity in Pakistan since the Afghan Taliban took control of Kabul in 2021. The number of terrorist attacks increased by 27% in 2022 compared to 2021, and have been observed to be deadly in impact on few occasions, as seen during …

Putin is nothing if not an opportunist, and the images of American forces and their British allies struggling to contain the surging crowds at Kabul airport who were desperately trying to flee the country will have confirmed the Russian leader’s view that, so long as Biden remained in power, he …

In light of the second anniversary of the Taliban’s seizure of Afghanistan on August 15th, the global focus has transitioned towards the evolving terrorism scenario in the area. The post-Kabul era has prompted apprehensions regarding the regional security and stability implications. Over the span of two years following the capital’s …

The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 marked a pivotal shift in global geopolitics. With the Taliban’s unexpected yet rapid return to power, the international community watched with bated breath, concerned about Afghanistan’s reemergence as a potential nexus for international terrorism. This transition has profound implications, not only for Afghanistan’s …