July's ASEAN summit provided a rare opportunity to reflect on the recent Hague ruling on the Philippines' dispute with China in the South China Sea. However, the summit concluded without a clear response from the region, allowing China to continue with belligerent actions in the region, writes Mandira Bagwandeen.
Despite Malaysian authorities carrying out several counter-terrorism operations targeting people involved with the Islamic State, the country continues to face a threat from its citizens fighting for the group in Iraq and Syria, writes Mandira Bagwandeen
Amidst a global decrease in piracy in the first half of 2016, kidnapping incidents off the coast of the Philippines and in the Gulf of Guinea remain of concern, write Mandira Bagwandeen and Gabrielle Reid
Islamic State-inspired kidnappings are increasingly likely in SoutheastAsia given the proliferation of affiliated militants and local sympathy for the group in the region, writes Mandira Bagwandeen.
Although the Abu Sayyaf Group has been weakened since the early 2000s, in a recent confrontation with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, in which the military sustained significant casualties, the ASG demonstrated that itremains a key security threat, writes Mandira Bagwandeen
Asia Pacific analysts, Mandira Bagwandeen and Ashleigh Somaroo, look at the key policy issues that are likely to impact kidnapping and extortion in the region. In the Philippines, the government's crackdown on the country's illegal drug trade is being undermined by police-led extortion. In India, President Narendra Modi's administration is seeking…
Asia Pacific analysts, Mandira Bagwandeen and Ashleigh Somaroo, discuss the key risks and trends over 2017. Various threats to Chinese investment, driven by the ‘One-Belt, One Road' (OBOR) development strategy, are on the horizon while regional tensions look set to rise. Specifically, China-Taiwan, inter-Korean and India-Pakistan relations are likely…
The recent Filipino military offensive against theAbu Sayyaf Group has failed to rein in the latest spateof attacks and kidnappings in the southern Philippines,writes Mandira Bagwandeen
Since entering office on 30 June, the new Filipino President, Rodrigo Duterte, haslaunched a ruthless anti-drugs campaign that has resulted in thousands of deaths. With no end in sight in the short term, the tally of drug-related deaths by security forces and vigilante groups is likely to increase, writes Mandira Bagwandeen
Investigations into the recent bombings and arson attacks in southernThailand point to the involvement of insurgents and have authoritiesscrambling to apprehend suspects, writes Mandira Bagwandeen
A recent international tribunal ruled in favour of the Philippines in its dispute with China over maritime entitlements in the South China Sea. Whilst a victory for the Philippines, China remains defiant and continues to assert its claims in the region. Although tensions have been heightened following the ruling, the security situation in the region…