The large-scale attack in Balochistan in late August underscores Pakistan’s escalating security crises, although the complex interplay of challenges and policy decisions hinder the authorities’ ability to effectively address the issue, writes Saif Islam.
The interim government assumed office amid widespread popular goodwill, although navigating the country’s intricate political and security challenges will likely prove increasingly difficult, writes Saif Islam.
Islamic State Khorasan Province’s recent attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow Oblast has catapulted the group into international headlines. Today, it seems the group’s increasingly expansive attacks are not only a concern for Central and South Asian countries but have also put Western countries on alert, writes Saif Islam.
Saif Islam and Richard Gardiner explore some of the major developments that may influence the trajectory of the conflict in the new year.
The Israeli offensive against Hamas following the group’s 7 October attack on Israel has prompted mass protests throughout Jordan. While the frequency and intensity of demonstrations have decreased recently, Jordanian leaders remain wary of the impact of Israeli-Palestinian tensions on the country’s internal stability, writes Emma Johnston.
Saif Islam discusses the complex drivers behind increased criminality in Peru and the difficulty of tackling this issue amid the country’s political instability.
Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death, two months after his failed mutiny against the Russian state, poses yet another setback for the Wagner mercenary group. While likely to see significant change closer to home, the impact on the group’s operations in Africa will not be immediate, writes Saif Islam.
Despite the UN, state authorities, and non-governmental organisations’ repeated calls for better protection of aid workers, attacks on them have been increasing in Sub-Saharan Africa, writes Saif Islam.
Regardless of the outcome of the May 2023 elections, the threat of political violence, largely rooted in longstanding tensions between opposing political sides, will persist for the foreseeable future, writes Saif Islam.
The recent kidnapping of four researchers conducting archaeological fieldwork in Papua New Guinea highlights the ongoing security challenges in the country, writes Saif Islam.
Saif Islam explores emerging kidnapping trends in South Africa, Lebanon, and the Philippines, and provides an outlook on how the threat is likely to manifest over the coming year.
The recent kidnappings of several businesspeople in South Africa’s major cities such as Cape Town, are indicative of a growing problem that is set to worsen in the near future, writes Saif Islam.