The Deadly Prison Break in Syria – The Return of the Islamic State?
After the US built relations with the new Syrian leader Ahmed Al Sharaa, Washington withdrew its support from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the vanguard that defeated the Islamic State in 2019.
Now, the Syrian Armed Forces consisting of HTS, Al Qaeda and other Jihad groups have attacked prisons containing thousands of IS prisoners, vandalised SDF monuments, and kidnapped and sexually assaulted Kurdish women and girls.
This is the end of the autonomous Kurdish-led region in Syria, which existed for a decade.
In this article, I outline the rapidly deteriorating situation in northeast Syria.
The U.S. is enabling regime change in Iran
Starlink satellites are over Iran primarily because Elon Musk activated them to provide internet access, bypassing government shutdowns during heightened regional conflicts, especially following Israeli strikes in mid-2025.
During the ngoing protests in Iran, it has allowed them to circumvent state-imposed internet blackouts, offering uncensored communication and access to outside news, despite Iran’s government banning the service and threatening users.
In this article, I write about Starlink’s role in Iran and how the Iranian regime is responding to users that are using it.
Global Threat Forecast 2026
In 2026, intensifying great-power rivalry and regional geopolitical competition are likely to continue shaping a fragmented global threat environment.
In parallel, non-state armed groups driven by religious, ethnic, and ideological motivations are assessed to remain persistent threats to governments and social cohesion, particularly across parts of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
While I have given a few key insights in this post, I have written a much more comprehensive summary of the key threats the world will face this year based on trends and data. You can read that article here
Afghanistan’s Return to Terrorism?
The Taliban continue to violate the commitments it made with the US via the Doha Agreement. In its recent Annual Report, the Tehreek e-Taliban (TTP) seeks to establish an Islamic State in Pakistan, similar to the Afghan Taliban. An Al Qaeda aligned Afghanistan based group, TTP uses the Al Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan.
In this article, I note down the trajectory the TTP is heading towards and the precautions the international community must urgently take!
There is no hierarchy in religion
Congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for celebrating Christmas at Cathedral Church of the Redemption in New Delhi. As head of government, PM Modi has sent a clear message to the Hindu fanatics! Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist extremism is as bad as Jewish, Christian and Muslim extremism.
Police Disrupt Britain’s Worst Act of Terrorism
Two men have been convicted for plotting an Islamic State-inspired terrorist attack on Jewish communities in the north-west of England which aimed to kill hundreds of innocent people.
Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, were convicted of making preparations to commit a large-scale terrorist attack, while Walid Saadaoui’s younger brother Bilel Saadaoui, 36, was convicted of failing to disclose to authorities the information he knew about their plans, following a trial at Preston Crown Court which concluded today.
A Hamas propaganda masterpiece
Since October 7th 2023, Hamas has released two of its manifestos. This week, it released its second one yet, titled “A propaganda masterpiece, “Our Narrative – Al Aqsa Flood: Two Years of Steadfastness and the Will for Liberation”.
The entire document is based on conspiracy and false narratives; and its content should be countered point-by-point to save the Palestinians.
Read my full article on this manifesto in the link below.
The U.S. Naval Dominance in the Coming Decade
The rapid expansion of China’s naval fleet has prompted the US to boost its naval capabilities. The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is the world’s largest navy by number of ships, although though the U.S. Navy still leads in overall tonnage and large carriers, while China focuses on building its surface fleet with impressive shipbuilding capacity and increasing firepower. The largest fleet by number, PLAN has over 370 ships and submarines, surpassing the U.S. by sheer vessel count. About 70% of China’s warships were launched after 2010, featuring advanced destroyers, frigates, and corvettes.
R. N. Kao’s contribution to India’s RAW
The first Indian National Security Advisor I met was R. N. Kao, who established India’s foreign intelligence service, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). As the research assistant to President Jayewardene, I met Mr Kao at his residence..
Islamic State – An Attempt at Revival?
Is the Islamic State reviving? This we know: Both the Islamic State and Al Qaeda affiliates received a boost after Israel responded to the Hamas-led massacre of October 7, 2023.