Afghanistan Archives - Robert Lansing Institute

Recent Afghanistan–Pakistan border clashes: reasons, foreign actors, consequences, perspectives

The latest Afghanistan–Pakistan clashes are the product of three reinforcing drivers: militant sanctuary and cross-border violence (especially Pakistan’s accusations that anti-Pakistan militants operate from Afghan soil), a chronic border/sovereignty dispute along the Durand Line…

February 27, 2026Afghanistan, Pakistan

Geopolitics Terrorism Warfare

Tajikistan Is Seeking Russian Military Support:What It Means for Central Asian Security

By reorienting itself toward Moscow, Dushanbe is navigating a minefield of competing pressures—from cross-border insecurity and domestic politics to the strategic competition between Russia, China, and the Taliban-led government in Kabul. These dynamics…

December 17, 2025Afghanistan, China, Tajikistan, Taliban

Conflict Geopolitics Terrorism Warfare

Afghanistan–Pakistan Border Clashes, 2025

Intense fighting along the long‐contested Afghanistan–Pakistan frontier broke out in October 2025, marking the worst conflict between the two countries since the Taliban takeover in 2021. Islamabad accused Kabul of…

October 20, 2025Afghanistan, Pakistan

Geopolitics National Security Terrorism

Russia’s Recognition of the Taliban: Strategic Defiance in a New Great Game

In April 2025, Russia became the first major global power to take decisive steps toward formal recognition of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, breaking with Western efforts to isolate the Islamist government. Though…

April 18, 2025Afghanistan, China, Russia, Taliban, USA

Geopolitics Intelligence ops National Security Terrorism

Russia’s Push to Legitimize the Taliban: Strategic Interests, Global Implications, and U.S. Countermeasures

Russia has recently undertaken several steps toward legitimizing the Taliban regime in Afghanistan: Initiating Legal Processes to Delist the Taliban as a Terrorist Organization: In March 2025, Russia's Prosecutor General's…

April 1, 2025Afghanistan, Russia, Taliban, USA

Geoeconomics Geopolitics Governance Terrorism

Analysis of the Taliban Regime’s resilience in 2024-2025

The Supreme Afghan Leader (Emir) Haibatullah Akhundzada has strengthened his grip to power, formulating new federal institutions functioning under his decree and implementing policies from his limited office in Kandahar. Under his…

October 16, 2024Afghanistan, China, Haqqani network, Iran, Russia, Taliban

National Security Propaganda and Disinformation Psyops Terrorism

Russia will exploit Crocus mass shooting for large-scale psyop

Russia intends to use the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall to launch a psyop and a disinformation campaign targeting Ukraine and the United States. On March 22, the Crocus…

March 23, 2024Afghanistan, Crocus City Hall, Russia

Terrorism

Afghanistan’s security landscape altered under the Taliban

The Al-Qaeda appears to be reorganising in Afghanistan with the support of the Taliban. The country’s internal security situation has drastically deteriorated since the founding of the Islamic Emirate. The Taliban…

February 19, 2024Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Iran

Intelligence ops

Russia provides funding for the Taliban in Afghanistan

Moscow is likely to keep on funding the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, via military intelligence, as reviews of the data on Russian plane crash in the mountains in Afghanistan indicate.…

January 25, 2024Afghanistan, Russia, Taliban

Conflict

Kabul wants Tehran to recognize Taliban’s regime using water dispute

Deadly clashes broke out between Afghan and Iranian guards at their border raising fears of a new conflict. Both sides have accused each other of initiating the shooting in which at…

June 2, 2023Afghanistan, Iran, water

Afghanistan