By Cara Rau The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has escalated dramatically since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, causing challenges that have deeply affected the country’s socio-economic and security landscapes. Among the most troubling developments is the rise of the Islamic State Khorasan Province...
By Cara Rau The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 sent shockwaves across the world, sparking a range of reactions from jihadist groups in Africa. For many of these groups, the Taliban’s success represented a long-awaited victory for Islamist militancy, with the triumph seen...
By Sebastian Cano Madariaga On May 1, 2024, the world reflected on the 21st anniversary of George W. Bush's "Mission Accomplished" speech, delivered aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. In his address, Bush announced that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended, and the United States and...
By Stephen Do Rego The Middle East's geopolitical landscape is shaped by a complex interplay of historical legacies, religious tensions, and strategic interests. This region has long been a battleground for empires, with ancient powers like the Romans, Persians, and Ottomans influencing its political fabric. In...
By: Del Moazami The recent assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, a prominent Hamas political leader, has cast a long shadow over the already tense Middle Eastern landscape. While Israel has not officially claimed responsibility, the timing and nature of the attack have left little doubt among observers....
By Cara Rau In the turbulent socio-political landscape of the Central African Republic (CAR), the Wagner Group—a private military contractor (PMC) closely linked to the Kremlin—emerges as a stark example of how economic exploitation can fuel armed conflict. Their activities in CAR illustrate the growing trend...
By Sidiqullah Sahel It is believed that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. The proverb best fits the current "rulers" of Afghanistan, known as the Taliban or "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan." The group acquired power in the country on 15...
A Research Paper by Irfan Yar Abstract After fighting for nearly two decades and investing an enormous amount of blood and treasure, why could the U.S. and its allies not defeat the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan? While most of the literature attributes the Taliban's success to foreign...
Click here to watch on youtube (for mobile)In an interview with TRT World, Irfan Yar, the founder of the Afghanistan Security Institute said that IS-k AKA ISIS is a severe fast-growing threat in Afghanistan, and it must be stopped. He added that IS-K will grow...
By Sumit Mishra On 27th August 2021, merely twelve days after the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban, a fedayee (suicide bomber) belonging to the Islamic State's local affiliate Islamic State Khorasan (ISK), struck the Kabul International Airport, killing at least 95. This incident resurfaced...