China's Strategic Diplomacy: Easing Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions, Protecting its Interests

Following diplomatic efforts in Doha and Istanbul in late 2025, and a subsequent Saudi-led initiative, Pakistan and Afghanistan held a third round of largely discreet negotiations in Urumqi, Xinjiang, aimed at easing severe b...

Intensify Attacks, Abide by Rules and Shun Foreign Fighters, Hafiz Gul Bahadur's Says in a Message

Jihadist channels affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban have released a purported audio message from Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a Key leader of his own faction of Pakistani Taliban. The message, reportedly the first of its kind, cont...

Diplomacy on Thin Ice Pakistan-Afghanistan Talks Amidst Rising Tensions

The pattern has been too obvious, attacks, response and tepid reconciliation over the last four years – But what is new to this triangular conflict between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Non State Actors is that later has brought ...

Scholarly Split: The Cancellation of TTP's Chief Degree Sparks Debate and Division

On Saturday, a prominent religious seminary in Karachi, Jamia Al-Arabia Ahsanul Uloom Karachi has revoked the Dora-e-Hadith degree of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) leader, Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud.“He studied in Dora-e-Hadith Kar...

The War Within: Pakistan's Daily Battle Against Taliban

Recent months have seen a significant surge in the presence of various Pakistani Taliban factions in the Waziristan region, which comprises three districts: North Waziristan, Upper Waziristan and Lower Waziristan in particula...

Taliban's Changing Behaviour: Factionalism, Nationalism and Beyond

Pakistani Taliban's gradual shift in recent years from a jihadist movement — which transcends ethnic affiliations — to an ethnically driven militancy is ultimately undermining its broad influence and appeal.This new idealogic...

The Jihadists’ Toolkit: Repurposed Items that Helped Taliban Win Afghanistan

A striking image recently surfaced on several jihadists' encrypted communications channels, featuring four ordinary everyday items repurposed as lethal tools of warfare. The image, featuring a Cheetah shoe, a yellow cooking o...

Operation Baghar: A Watershed Moment in Pakistan's Counter-Terrorism Journey

In the last week of September 2003, a local asset, intelligence speak for an informant, with substantial access to local and global jihadist factions like Al-Qaeda, walked into a regional office of Pakistan's premier intellig...

Amidst Diplomatic Makeover, Pakistan Strikes TTP in Afghanistan

Four days after 16 soldiers died in an assault by the Pakistani Taliban on a border post, Pakistan retaliated by striking the militant group inside Afghanistan, third time since August 15, 2021.The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan [...

Syrian Jail Claims Life of Al-Qaeda Veteran Fighter

Al-Qaeda linked encrypted channels have released a short biography of Muhammad Hussain Kanju, also known as Abu Hussain Lebanani. Hussain’s life as a militant exemplifies the transnational jihadi nature of Al-Qaeda, with his ...