Moral Policing, Public Floggings, and the Decline of Girls' Education in Taliban ruled Afghanistan

Since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, Afghanistan has faced a sharp decline in human rights, with women and minorities bearing the brunt of repression. The Taliban’s enforcement of moral policing, public floggings, and the systematic dismantling of girls' education reflects their rigid interpretation of Sharia law despite global condemnation. This article examines the impact of these policies on Afghan society, particularly women and girls while highlighting the Taliban’s justification through religious edicts.

ANIMESH ROUL

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s Violent Surge: Mergers, Attacks, and the Future of Militancy in Pakistan in 2025

February 04, 2025

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the leading jihadist group targeting the Pakistani state, has escalated its violent operations in 2024 and early 2025. The group's resurgence has been facilitated by its sanctuaries in Afghanistan, support from local militant factions, access to sophisticated arms and ammunition and last but not least, ideological and spiritual backing from the Afghan Taliban emirate.

ANIMESH ROUL

Defend the Guard: Challenging the Forever War Paradigm in the United States

As the United States continues to provide both overt and covert support to conflicts in Eurasia and the Middle East, a growing grassroots initiative known as the 'Defend the Guard' movement has emerged to challenge federal military policies at home. Originating in 2015 with the introduction of the 'Defend the Guard Act' by the West Virginia legislature, this movement seeks to protect the constitutional rights of states and National Guard personnel.

SELENA GREEN & MAHESH RANJAN DEBATA

Reemergence of Terror Networks in Jammu and Kashmir: Evaluating the State's Response Mechanisms

Following major crackdown on terrorists in the Kashmir Valley and the redeployment of troops from the southern Pir Panjal range to Ladakh due to the ongoing border standoff with China, terrorists have shifted their base from Kashmir to the Jammu region. This shift is particularly evident in areas such as Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar, and Kathua, where dense forests and steep mountains offer militants ample cover.

R. BHANU KRISHNA KIRAN

White Phosphorus Munition Use in Contemporary Conflicts: A Brief Analysis Within the Context of International Law

April 27, 2024

The paper discusses the use of white phosphorus (WP) munitions in recent conflict zones such as Ukraine, Gaza, and Nagorno-Karabakh, highlighting the significant legal, ethical, and humanitarian issues it raises. It argues for critically reassessing white phosphorus use in warfare to ensure it aligns with humanitarian values and public ethics.

Diminishing Red Shadows: Assessing the Descent of Left Wing Extremism in India

The trend of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in India demonstrates a downward trajectory. Despite this, sporadic incidents of violence result in casualties, and the evolving tactics employed by insurgents are being met with adept responses from the security apparatus. Against this backdrop, the current paper aims to integrate the strategies used in counterinsurgency operations against Indian Maoists into a broader framework. This includes examining their implications within the wider spectrum of global non-state and conventional military engagements.

UDDIPAN MUKHERJEE
November 17, 2023

'Ethico-Political' Implications of Drones in 21st-Century Conflicts

July 08, 2023

Drone technology is increasingly becoming more capable of autonomous violence and destruction. With drones heralding a new age of warfare and a change like military technology, it is crucial to evaluate drones' ethical and political implications. This is because drones are capable of integrating advanced algorithmic and computer systems, thus allowing a level of mathematical precision to military operations that have never been seen before. Proponents of drones would say that this allows for a reduction in unintended casualties.

Targeted and Forgotten: The Hazara Shia Community's Struggle in Afghanistan

May 26, 2023

The Hazara Shia community has endured widespread discrimination and systematic sectarian violence since the establishment of modern Afghanistan in 1747. A long history of persecution endured by the Hazara community and their status as a vulnerable ethnic group over centuries in Afghanistan is now part of Central Asia’s folklore. The Hazaras have suffered from centuries of discrimination, violence, and systemic oppression, ranging from historical atrocities under the rule of Amir Abdul Rahman to targeted attacks by the Taliban and the Islamic State of Khorasan Province.

Russia, Ukraine, and the Chemical Conundrum: Exploring the Use of White Phosphorus in Bakhmut

Bakhmut, an eastern Ukrainian city, has been enduring the consequences of Russia's aggression since the outset of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. Once known as Artemivsk, it retained this name until 2016, encompassing both the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. During the 2014 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian occupiers laid claim to Bakhmut as part of their territorial ambitions. However, the Ukrainian government managed to retake the city in mid-2014. Russia's interest in Bakhmut stems from its strategic geography, which enables them to disrupt Ukraine's supply lines.

AJEY LELE