Yusufzai Aqib

Twenty-Five Years After 9/11: The Taliban’s Return and America’s Counterterrorism Illusion

Nearly twenty-five years have passed since the September 11 attacks shook the United States, reshaped global security, and triggered what was hailed as the most coordinated counterterrorism campaign in history. In that time, America has waged wars, toppled regimes, killed or captured al-Qaeda’s masterminds, and driven the so-called Islamic State from its strongholds. Yet the […]

Twenty-Five Years After 9/11: The Taliban’s Return and America’s Counterterrorism Illusion Read More »

Is Afghanistan Once Again Becoming the Epicenter of Global Terrorism?

The shadow of September 11, 2001, still hangs heavy over international politics, and the world cannot afford to ignore the dangerous question confronting us today: is Afghanistan once again becoming the epicenter of global terrorism? In May 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s announcement that Washington was weighing whether to designate the Taliban as

Is Afghanistan Once Again Becoming the Epicenter of Global Terrorism? Read More »

The Battle Over Bagram: Trump’s, China Claim Versus Strategic Reality

More than three years after the last U.S. troops departed Afghanistan, Bagram Airfield once the beating heart of American military power in South Asia has returned to the geopolitical spotlight. But this time, its runways and barracks are not staging combat sorties or housing allied troops. Instead, they have become a rhetorical battlefield in a

The Battle Over Bagram: Trump’s, China Claim Versus Strategic Reality Read More »

Has Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Quietly Become the New ‘Khorasan’?

When gunfire once again echoes through the valleys of South Waziristan, Tank, and Dera Ismail Khan, a disturbing question emerges: are we still living in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, or has this region quietly morphed into something far more perilous something unrecognizable under the shadow of escalating militancy? Has Khyber Pakhtunkhwa silently become the new “Khorasan,” the

Has Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Quietly Become the New ‘Khorasan’? Read More »

Of Factions and Fiefdoms: The Taliban’s Inward Struggles and the Weight of Unfinished History

After nearly four years of Taliban rule, the so-called Islamic Emirate is less a unified ideological formation than a fragile patchwork of rival power centers. What was once hailed as restoration of order has become an uneasy equilibrium between competing commanders, tribal networks, and economic patrons. At its apex sits Amir-ul‑Momineen Hibatullah Akhundzada, whose ultraconservative clerical

Of Factions and Fiefdoms: The Taliban’s Inward Struggles and the Weight of Unfinished History Read More »

From FATF Compliance to Counterterrorism Doctrine: Pakistan’s Offensive Against Militant Financing

Pakistan’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in October 2022 was more than a diplomatic success it was a watershed moment in the country’s long and complicated battle against terrorism and extremism. Often under intense international scrutiny and regional pressure, Pakistan undertook one of the most rigorous institutional overhauls in its

From FATF Compliance to Counterterrorism Doctrine: Pakistan’s Offensive Against Militant Financing Read More »

Russia Bets on the Barrel: Recognizing the Taliban and Rewriting the Rules of Regional Diplomacy

Russia’s official recognition of the Taliban on July 3, 2025, marks a troubling and consequential shift in regional geopolitics. By becoming the first country to formally acknowledge a regime that seized power through force and continues to govern without legitimacy, Moscow has effectively redrawn the diplomatic map of Central and South Asia. This recognition is

Russia Bets on the Barrel: Recognizing the Taliban and Rewriting the Rules of Regional Diplomacy Read More »

Putin’s War of Attrition Risks Collapse as Drone Firepower Outpaces Manpower

As Russia intensifies its summer offensive in Ukraine, the Kremlin hopes a cascade of drone strikes, battlefield gains, and geopolitical shifts will force Kyiv to submit. But behind the façade of strength lies a fragile campaign built on dwindling manpower, exaggerated recruitment figures, and a strategy that may, in time, backfire. If Russia fails to

Putin’s War of Attrition Risks Collapse as Drone Firepower Outpaces Manpower Read More »

Scroll to Top