As the U.S. prepares to withdraw from Afghanistan, China seeks to leverage opportunities for influence while avoiding potential security risks. In early June, foreign ministers from China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan met to discuss how to maintain security amidst a U.S. troop withdrawal. China’s growing visibility in the region means Beijing …

Series Note: We are in the middle of an unprecedented crisis as the Covid-19 pandemic, and the lockdowns implemented in response, continue to deliver a series of economic, social and psychological shocks to the world. In this time of chaos, some of the world’s most powerful interest groups have stepped …

Iran-backed militias have arrested militants from the Nujaba movement near Aleppo, reports Etihad Press. Iranian militias arrested a Damascus regime officer, as well as civilians and several members of the Iraqi “Nujaba” movement, in rural Aleppo. According to the local website Ain Al-Furat, drivers were arrested at a checkpoint held …