Tag: Taliban

  • Afghanistan: the Taliban Discussed Investments in Mining Sector with Russian Companies

    This report examines the recent meeting in Kabul between Mullah Baradar and representatives of Russian companies focused on investments in the mining sector.

  • Afghanistan-Pakistan Escalating Tensions: Cross-Border Clashes, Air Strikes, and Regional Implications

    This report assesses the recent escalation of hostilities between Afghanistan and Pakistan, marked by deadly border clashes and alleged Pakistani air strikes near Kabul. It examines the causes, implications, and regional consequences of these confrontations.

  • China–Taliban Engagement over Bagram Air Base to Counter US Strategy

    This report assesses China’s invitation to Taliban Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoub Mujahid against the backdrop of US interest in regaining access to Bagram Air Base.

  • The Tajikistan–Afghanistan Border Clash Alarmed Regional Security

    This report examines the geopolitical consequences of the armed clash on August 24, 2025, which involved Tajikistan border forces and Taliban fighters near the Panj River.

  • Afghanistan Hosts 23,000 International Terrorists According to Russia

    This report analyses the implications and reasons of Russia’s statement regarding the presence of 23,000 international terrorists and militants in Afghanistan.

  • Central Asian Special Representatives on Afghanistan’s Meeting: Why Matters?

    This report assesses the strategic and economic implications of the first meeting of Central Asian special representatives on Afghanistan, held in Uzbekistan on 26 August 2025.

  • Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan Increased Their Economic Cooperation

    This report investigates Kyrgyzstan’s recent engagement with Afghanistan through targeted economic cooperation and joint projects in the energy and transport fields.

  • Afghanistan’s $10 Billion Energy Initiative under Taliban Rule

    Executive Summary This report examines the Taliban-led Afghan government’s decision to launch a $10 billion energy infrastructure project with Azizi Energy. The initiative seeks to build 10,000 megawatts of electricity capacity in the next ten years to lessen reliance on imported energy and meet domestic needs. It also has political aims, such as increasing control […]

  • Badakhshan: Taliban’s Rule Under Pressure Since Local Disappointment and External Threats

    The Taliban’s control in Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province is reportedly facing growing challenges. Civil unrest stems from the marginalisation of ethnic minorities, heavy-handed anti-drug policies, and eroding national unity.

  • Russia Recognised the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: A New Great Game Started?

    This report analyses the geopolitical consequences of Russia officially recognising the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in July 2025. This decision highlights Moscow’s intention to expand its influence in Central and South Asia.

  • Afghanistan: Is Iran Seeking an Alternative to Syria?

    This report examines Iran’s evolving strategic posture in Afghanistan following the erosion of its influence in Syria. The loss of key proxy leaders, Israel’s war in Gaza, and Syria’s collapse as a reliable geographical link force Tehran to seek alternative arenas. The aim of this report is to assess whether Afghanistan could emerge as Iran’s next strategic frontier following Syria’s decline.

  • CSTO Strategic Reinforcement of the Tajik-Afghan Border

    This report examines recent CSTO and Dushanbe’s efforts to bolster security on the Tajik-Afghan border, as the situation in northern Afghanistan worsens. Regional concerns about rising terrorism and illicit activity in Afghanistan’s border provinces pushed CSTO to start the first phase of its longstanding program.

  • Tajik Taliban Commanders Arrested in Afghanistan Underline the Movement’s Internal Frictions

    This report examines the recent arrests of ethnic Tajik Taliban commanders in northern Afghanistan, highlighting emerging internal rifts within the movement, particularly between the Kandahar leadership and the Haqqani Network, and potential instability in historically restive regions, such as Takhar and Badakhshan.

  • Afghanistan New Geopolitical Game Among Russia, US, and China’s Strategies

    In April 2025, Afghanistan has re-emerged as a critical node in regional and global geopolitics, shaped by intensifying engagement from Russia and China, and potential covert re-entry of US intelligence. These developments reflect a growing contest for strategic positioning in post-withdrawal Afghanistan, with significant implications for regional security dynamics.

  • Unconfirmed CIA Visit in Afghanistan Increased Pressure on the Taliban

    Recent reports suggest that a US Air Force C-17A transport aircraft landed at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan for the first time since the 2021 withdrawal. The aircraft allegedly carried senior Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) personnel, with speculation surrounding a visit by Deputy Director John Ratcliffe.

  • China’s Increasing Interests in the Wakhan Corridor

    This report outlines recent developments regarding the Wakhan Corridor, specifically focusing on the increasing Chinese presence in the region. The visit of three Chinese military intelligence officers to the Wakhan Corridor is a significant event showing Beijing’s increasing strategic focus on the region.

  • Analysis of the Islamic State Wilayat Khorasan’s Video Message “Followers of al-Yahud”

    Al Azaim Foundation, the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) media wing, recently released a video titled “Followers of the Jews” that represents a strategic attempt to undermine the Taliban’s religious authority in Afghanistan.

  • Pakistan’s Future Government’s Credibility to Fight Separatism

    Economic instability, political unrest, declining bilateral relations with Taliban Afghanistan, terrorism on various fronts, and most recently, military escalation at the Iranian border have hit Pakistan.

  • Tensions at the Border Between Pakistan and Afghanistan: An Analysis

    In this paper published in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2532-845X Vol. 4 Year 2023, the author Gabriele Massano examined tensions at the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan and the impact of the Taliban and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Pakistani security situation.

  • Afghanistan: the Taliban killed seven Islamic State militants

    The Taliban continue their effort to contrast and eliminate the Islamic State’s threat, confirming the Islamic Emirate necessity to stabilise the country to attract foreign investors and international consensus.

  • The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan: an interview with Hamid Saifi

    SpecialEurasia had the opportunity to interview Hamid Saifi, a former Afghanistan National Army commanding officer (5thBrigade of the 203rd Thunder Corps) and current member of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, to discuss the actual situation on the ground, the NRF strategy and deepen our knowledge about the local dynamics in Afghanistan.

  • Russia about to boost cooperation with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

    Russia and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) signed the most significant deal since the Taliban movement came to power last year, confirming Kremlin’s interests in the country and Moscow’s will to become a key regional actor.

  • U.S. drone strike killed al-Qaeda’s leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan

    The killing of al-Qaeda’s leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Kabul by a U.S. drone strike confirmed Washington’s interests in the region and the Taliban’s policy to host terrorist organisations’ high-ranking leaders in the country, which has become a “safe heaven” for different jihadist groups.

  • Uncertainty and instability in contemporary Afghanistan

    Since the U.S. troops’ withdrawal and the Taliban’s rise to power, Afghanistan has witnessed huge uncertainty, instability and destabilisation due to the terrorist threat and criminal activities, economic problems, interethnic confrontation aggravated by the Taliban interim government, and regional and international geopolitical interests.

  • The Taliban between state and non-state actors: a double-edged sword

    Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Volume 18 Issue 2 – The 2021 proclamation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan reveals several straightforward and/or controversial relationships with state and non-state figures at the regional level. This intricate web of relations plays a role in outlining the Taliban regime’s assets and challenges.

  • Summary of the Webinar “Afghanistan: geopolitical interests, humanitarian crisis and security”

    On April 6th, 2022, SpecialEurasia organised the webinar “Afghanistan: geopolitical interests, humanitarian crisis and security” to address the Italian public opinion on the current situation of the Afghan people after the U.S. troops’ withdrawal and the Taliban’s seize of power.

  • Islamic State Khurasan published a video targeting Taliban government’s ties with the international community

    Recently, a video published by Al-Azaim Foundation, Islamic State Khurasan Province (ISKP)’s mouthpiece in the region, harshly lashed out against the Taliban and their relations with the international community and particularly neighbouring countries, including Pakistan, China, and Russia.

  • Russian companies’ interests in Afghanistan and TAPI

    During the last few days, Russian companies have shown interest in supporting the TAPI pipeline project and the Taliban in reparing their helicopters and training personnel highlighting the Kremlin’s strategy in Central Asia and Afghanistan.

  • In Afghanistan drug trafficking and terrorism are increasing among regional concerns

    Recent reports have underlined that drug trafficking, terrorist attacks, and Islamic State activities are Afghanistan’s leading dangers that can jeopardise local security and Central Asian dynamics.

  • Taliban and Turkmenistan discussed the TAPI pipeline project

    The meeting between the Taliban and the Turkmen representaives in Ashgabat underlined the Taliban’s attempt to create partnerships and joint projects with Central Asian republics and Turkmenistan’s necessity to discuss with the Afghan interim Government the promotion of the TAPI natural gas pipeline.

  • Taliban reported a meeting with Ahmad Massoud and Ismail Khan in Tehran

    The Foreign Affairs Minister of the Taliban interim Government Amir Khan Muttaqi said that he had met with the head of the National Resistance Front Ahmad Massoud and the leader of the Herat militia Mohammad Ismail Khan in Tehran.

  • Taliban involved in clashes at the Afghanistan-Turkmenistan border

    The recent border clashes between the Taliban and Turkmen security forces highlight how fragile the security situation is in the region. As a matter of fact, in the last month, the Taliban also collided with the Iranian and Pakistani border guards.

  • The Deadliest Enemies: China’s Overseas Military Bases in Central Asia and Uyghur’s Turkestan Islamic Party

    Amid the burgeoning sentimental relationship between Beijing and the resurrected Taliban’s Emirate 2.0, the al Qaeda-affiliated Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP) has aggravated its propaganda war against Communist China, hence cleverly concealing its historically faithful jihadi bonds with the Afghan Taliban.

  • Mapping and monitoring terrorist activities in Afghanistan in 2021

    We have monitored terrorist and violent attacks in Afghanistan in 2021 and produced an interactive map to assess which regions are affected mainly by terrorist organisations and analyse how terrorism has evolved or changed since the Taliban’s rise to power.

  • Afghanistan today: between humanitarian crisis and the Taliban rule. Interview with H.E. Khaled Ahmad Zekriya, Ambassador of Afghanistan in Italy

    After the US-NATO troops withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban takeover of power by force, once again the international community is confronted with the humanitarian and political crisis in Afghanistan. Despite the imposition of an Islamic Emirate and implementation of radical Islamist sharīʿa inside Afghanistan, several regional powers have pondered on the idea of officially […]

  • Dilemma of Central Asian Jihadists between IS-K and Taliban

    The Taliban’s pragmatic diplomacy and gradual departure from the Jihadi ideology alienate Central Asian jihadists from the Taliban and strengthen its ardent enemy, the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K). Taliban-backed Uyghur jihadists, who exploited shahids (martyr) exclusively against the Chinese authorities in the past, recently carried out a suicide attack against the Shia Hazara minority under Taliban rule.

  • Tehran meeting on Afghanistan underlines Iranian regional strategy

    The meeting on Afghanistan organised in Tehran confirms the Iranian desire to have a major role in Afghan and regional dynamics and stressed how several Asian countries are strongly promoting greater regional cooperation that in the future might contrast Western local interests and presence.

  • Uzbekistan and the Taliban discussed joint projects

    The recent meetings between Uzbek and Taliban official representatives organised to discuss humanitarian assistance and joint economic and infrastructural projects underline Tashkent’s strategy to establish relations with the Taliban government to stabilise its borders and promote an economic partnership considered as necessary for the security and stability of the region.

  • The effect of terrorism in Afghanistan on Russian-Tajik relations

    The recent terrorist attack in Kunduz alarmed Tajikistan and Russia on the stability and security of the Afghan-Tajik borders and the Taliban ability to counter Islamic State and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan. In this framework, Moscow and Dushanbe are seeking to enhance their cooperation in the security field, confirming the Russian strategy to play a decisive role in Afghanistan and Central Asia.

  • How Afghanistan is influencing the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan cooperation

    Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are intensifying their cooperation in different fields to create a strong partnership in Central Asia. Ashgabat and Tashkent are also interested in creating a joint partnership in connection with the recent developments in Afghanistan to secure their countries and boost their economies.

  • Relazioni Tagikistan-Afghanistan e possibile escalation regionale

    La repubblica centro asiatica del Tagikistan è divenuta il centro della resistenza afghana nel Panjshir e il primo baluardo contro il Governo dei talebani in Afghanistan, fattore che ha indotto Mosca a richiedere un dialogo tra Dushanbe e Kabul per evitare una possibile escalation e un conflitto regionale.

  • The new geopolitical game of Afghanistan

    The complete NATO troops withdrawal from Afghanistan and the rise of the Taliban mark the beginning of a new geopolitical game in the region, which involves China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, India and Turkey. At the same time, the United States seems to have increased their strategic interest in the Asia-Pacific to counter Chinese sea power and in the Middle East to confront Iran.

  • The role of pro-Iran Shiite militias in Afghanistan

    The eventuality that Iran has supported the creation of a Shiite militant organisation in Afghanistan has caused diplomatic tensions among Tehran and Kabul and highlighted how fragile the country’s situation might be after the NATO troops withdrawal.

  • Tajikistan: the Kremlin’s frontier against the Taliban

    The Russian Federation wants militarily to support Tajikistan with the aim of controlling the borders with Afghanistan and contrasting the possible Taliban offensive in the region.

  • TAPI Pipeline Project and the US-NATO Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan. An interview with Ambassador Khaled Ahmad Zekriya

    Since the United States signed the Doha Peace Agreement with the Taliban group, numerous analyses and reports have been written on the future of Afghanistan. Now with the latest announcement made by the US President Joe Biden on the US and NATO complete troop withdrawal from Afghanistan starting on May 1st, 2021 and ending by […]

  • Afghanistan today between terrorism and geopolitics: interview with Jill Suzanne Kornetsky

    Afghanistan is a strategic country in Eurasia, a land where superpowers (British Empire, Soviet Union, the United States) had known their limits trying to control the local population and include it in their geopolitical strategy. Therefore, we decide to discuss current dynamics and future developments of Afghanistan with Jill Suzanne Kornetsky, a Kabul-based consultant, researcher, analyst and social entrepreneur.

  • Kabul: a terrorist attack against the Afghan Vice-President

    On Wednesday morning in Kabul, unknown assailants attacked the motorcade of the first Vice-President of Afghanistan, Amrullah Saleh. The politician was not injured during the attempt. This event underlines how complex is the current situation of Afghanistan due to the Talibans’ activities and the presence of jihadist fighters linked to the Islamic State and foreign actors.

  • Afghanistan today: security status and possible future development. Meeting with H.E. Helena Malikyar the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Italy

    Because Afghanistan matters in geopolitics and its stability might be considered as one of the main goals of the international community, we decided to meet H.E. Helena Malikyar, the Ambassador of Afghanistan to Italy to discuss issues related to the security, stability, economic development and future challenges in Afghanistan.

  • Washington signed a deal with the Taliban, but this is not the end of the war

    The U.S.-Taliban deal allows Washington to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan but does not represent the war’s end. Undeniably, the Taliban and other terrorist organisations still threaten the Afghan people and national security.

  • Washington signed a deal with the Taliban, but this is not the end of the war

    The US – Taliban deal should be only interpreted as an agreement between Washington and a specific group of Taliban for the safe passage of the US troops’ withdrawal. The agreement was welcomed as a success in diplomacy. However, the war in the country cannot be considered over since in Afghanistan several factions of Taliban and different terrorist groups connected to external actors are operating.

  • Taliban attacks increased in Afghanistan in the last quarter of 2019

    The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) recently published a quarterly report which highlights that over the last quarter of 2019, the number of Taliban attacks in Afghanistan increased by 17% compared to the same period in 2018. The high level of attacks conducted by the Taliban might seriously threaten the dialogue on the peace agreement started by the United States.

Online Course "Geopolitical Intelligence Analysis"_November 2025

22 November 2025 – Online Course Geopolitical Intelligene Analysis

This course represents a practical step for professionals aiming to refine their analytical discipline in a rapidly shifting global environment.

Read more