In a stark reminder of the persistent security challenges in the region, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Munir Akram, recently conveyed to the UN Security Council that the Taliban government in Afghanistan has yet to fulfill its promises to curb cross-border terrorist activities by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Despite numerous high-level communications, the Taliban’s inaction has resulted in continued […]

Taliban security forces in Afghanistan claimed Sunday that they had killed a key Islamic State commander in an eastern province bordering Pakistan. An official Taliban media outlet reported that counter-terrorism forces in Nangarhar had raided a hideout of Islamic State Khorasan, also known as IS-K, an Afghan-based affiliate of the transnational extremist group. The Al-Mersaad outlet said that Sunday’s action […]

Tensions between neighbors Pakistan and Afghanistan are running high as the Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said this week that his country plans to continue launching cross-border attacks as part of a new military operation to curb terrorism. The comments mark a notable shift for Pakistani officials who, until now, had only admitted to one such cross-border strike in March. […]

Taliban security forces in Afghanistan claimed Sunday that they had killed a key Islamic State commander in an eastern province bordering Pakistan. An official Taliban media outlet reported that counter-terrorism forces in Nangarhar had raided a hideout of Islamic State Khorasan, also known as IS-K, an Afghan-based affiliate of the transnational extremist group. The Al-Mersaad outlet said that Sunday’s action […]

Why is Afghanistan always in trouble? The sufferings of Afghanistan in the distant past and current difficulties are in large measure the product of its geographical location combined with its mines and minimal wealth, water resources, and mostly due to their constant internal conflicts. These factors have resulted in a troubled history since the beginning and produced a venerable state […]

Pakistan will continue to launch attacks against Afghanistan as part of a new military operation aimed at countering terrorism, the country’s defence minister has told the BBC. Khawaja Asif said the aerial strikes were targeting groups which Pakistan accuses of targeting security forces and civilians. Previously, senior officials in Pakistan had only admitted to one such strike on the neighbouring […]

Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, most of the international focus has been on the worsening humanitarian situation in the country. Millions of Afghans live in poverty and the economic situation remains bleak. This month, Afghanistan also reached a grim milestone: It has been more than 1,000 days since young girls were able to attend school. But there […]

There is enormous appreciation among Iranian intellectuals, diplomats and politicians regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stellar support for their country’s membership of the BRICS grouping. Modi played a key role to navigate Iran’s membership purposively at the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg last August. The Russian President Vladimir Putin couldn’t be present at Johannesburg. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the […]

Since the terror attack at the Crocus city centre in Moscow, allegedly by the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP), in March 2024, Moscow has intensified efforts to prevent Afghanistan’s resurgence as a terror haven. One way of doing this, as Russian actions suggest is greater engagement with the Taliban. Recently, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry […]

China’s Strategic Calculus: A Multi-Faceted Approach China which commands a substantial 56.3% share of the global EV marker and a leading consumer of lithium, has emerged as a key stakeholder in Afghanistan’s lithium resources. It’s interest in Afghanistan’s lithium stems from a multi-pronged strategic approach: Extracting Afghanistan’s lithium resources is not without its challenges. The country’s political instability, fragile security […]