Taliban shuts Torkham borders

AQAP’s Threat to China: Pathways Through Al-Qaeda’s Global Network

SAT Editorial Desk December 25, 2025

AQAP’s threat against China marks a shift from rhetoric to execution, rooted in Al-Qaeda’s decentralized global architecture. By using Afghanistan as a coordination hub and relying on AQIS, TTP, and Uyghur militants of the Turkistan Islamic Party as local enablers, the threat is designed to be carried out far beyond Yemen. From CPEC projects in Pakistan to Chinese interests in Central Asia and Africa, the networked nature of Al-Qaeda allows a geographically dispersed yet strategically aligned campaign against Beijing.

The Enduring Consequences of America’s Exit from Afghanistan

SAT Commentary December 25, 2025

The 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan was more than the end of a long war, it was a poorly executed exit that triggered the rapid collapse of the Afghan state. The fall of Kabul, the Abbey Gate attack, and the return of militant groups exposed serious gaps in planning and coordination.

The Afghan Crucible

SAT Commentary December 24, 2025

Recent reporting underscores Afghanistan’s transformation into a strategic hub for transnational jihadist networks. Far from being a localized security problem, the Afghan landscape now functions as an ideological, logistical, and digital anchor linking extremist affiliates across Africa, Southeast Asia, and beyond, signaling the collapse of regional containment and the rise of a globalized threat architecture.

Economic Statecraft and the New Geography of Power in Regional Politics

Mian Masood Tariq December 24, 2025

Strategic competition has moved beyond decisive wars toward a subtler synthesis of economic leverage, proxy networks, and calibrated force. Infrastructure, finance, and trade routes now function as instruments of power, quietly reshaping regional orders while preserving the façade of restraint. In this environment, security is no longer confined to the battlefield but embedded in supply chains, data networks, and development choices, forcing states to rethink deterrence, sovereignty, and resilience.

The Manufacturing of a False Equivalence

SAT Editorial Desk December 24, 2025

As scrutiny mounts over the Taliban’s tolerance of TTP sanctuaries, Kabul has attempted to deflect blame by alleging that ISIS-K operates from Pakistan. This false equivalence ignores the historical origins of ISIS-K in eastern Afghanistan, its sustained campaign of violence against Pakistan, and verified intelligence showing that the group’s operational depth remains rooted inside Afghan territory.

South Asia Times