On December 12, 2022, the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) announced that its operatives in Afghanistan carried out a suicide attack on the Kabul Longan Hotel.[1] ISIS-K Claims Responsibility A few hours after the attack, ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the attack. In a short statement, the group claimed that two inghmasi, or commando-type fighters who carry out attacks behind enemy […]

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hizb-e-Islami, said on Friday that last week’s attack near his office involved Tajik nationals who carried the Daesh flag but said he was waiting for the investigation to wrap up before laying the blame on any one group. An explosion happened outside the office of Hizb-e-Islami in Kabul last week, killing one of Hekmatyar’s guards and […]

China and Saudi Arabia stressed in a joint statement the importance of supporting efforts being made to achieve security and stability in Afghanistan, and ensuring the country does not become a haven for terrorist and extremist groups. On Thursday, China and Saudi Arabia signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Riyadh. They also struck […]

The landslide victory of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the provincial elections in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has set new records. The BJP broke the opposition Congress’ record of winning 149 seats in 1985 with its tally of 156 in the 182-member state assembly, cornering 52.50 percent of the total votes polled. It […]

In October 2022, the Biden administration introduced export controls on China, prohibiting the sale of cutting-edge semiconductor chips, the advanced equipment needed to manufacture them and semiconductor expertise from the United States. The controls are the Biden administration’s most serious attempt to undermine China’s military modernisation and the most damaging measures US President Joe Biden has taken against China. Advanced semiconductors underpin everything from […]

As the world observed International Anti-Corruption Day on 9th December, it is a good time to do a stocktaking of India’s efforts in tackling the most entrenched and widely visible phenomenon that devalues governance and erodes the average citizen’s trusts in the state. According to Transparency International (TI), India ranks very high (85 out of 180 countries) in the Asian region. […]

The intensifying conflict between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban is a volatile case of souring patron­­–client relationship. The Taliban, once seen as ISI’s proxy for controlling Afghanistan and having given Pakistan great ‘strategic depth’, has now turned into a classic example of a strategic blowback. Border clashes, the recent closure of the Chaman-Spin Boldak crossing for a week, the emerging […]

The Unraveling of a Fragile Multiethnic State Could Lead to More Violence As Russian President Vladimir Putin doubles down on his war in Ukraine, the stability of his regime hangs in the balance. Some observers have predicted that the Russian president could be overthrown; others even hope for a breakup of the country. Which raises the question: Could Russia splinter?

2022 will go down in history as a watershed moment in EU-Russia relations. The invasion of Ukraine was a primary cause, but it may well be that future historians will agree that the breakdown of bilateral ties was long in the making. With Russia intent on rebuilding its territorial empire through brutal, old-fashioned hard power, and the EU offering to spread its […]

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman received Thursday China’s President Xi Jinping in Riyadh during his official visit to the Kingdom, Saudi Press Agency reported. The king welcomed the Chinese leader and his accompanying delegation to his country, while Xi expressed his happiness at visiting the Kingdom. During the meeting, which was held at Al-Yamama Palace in the presence of Crown Prince […]