MANTRAYA POLICY BRIEF#49: 20 DECEMBER 2023 Women’s Rights in Afghanistan under Taliban 2.0: Strategies for a Sustainable Change EKAMPREET KAUR, RATNADEEP CHAKRABORTY & SHANTHIE MARIET D’SOUZA Abstract The capture of power by the Taliban in August 2021 unveiled a regime of regressive policies, grievously impacting the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. Despite attempts […]
MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#69: 09 AUGUST 2023 Indonesia’s Preventing/Countering Violent Extremism Effort: Does going ‘soft’ work? BIBHU PRASAD ROUTRAY Abstract Indonesia’s C/PVE approach, combining conventional anti-terrorism measures and the soft counter-radicalization and using former terrorists as anti-extremism messengers is delivering results. Extremism-related incidents have been reduced significantly. Although by no means is the threat over, the Indonesian […]
MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#68: 20 JULY 2023 Pakistan’s deepening woes in Balochistan SHANTHIE MARIET D’SOUZA & BIBHU PRASAD ROUTRAY Abstract Pakistan is facing an uphill task in Balochistan. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is expanding its influence into the restive province and trying to make common cause with the Baloch insurgents against the Pakistani state and China. Islamabad’s […]
MANTRAYA POLICY BRIEF#46: 06 MAY 2023 Terror attack in Poonch: Chinks in the Armour BIBHU PRASAD ROUTRAY They planned, infiltrated, attacked, and melted into thin air. The manhunt involving scores of soldiers, drones, and sniffer dogs for the perpetrators of the 20 April ambush on the army truck in the Tota Gali area of Bhata […]
MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#64: 10 MARCH 2023 Taliban Incapacity and the growing threat of Islamic State-Khorasan Province SHANTHIE MARIET DSOUZA & BIBHU PRASAD ROUTRAY ABSTRACT In the past two years, the Islamic State’s Khorasan Province in Afghanistan has increased its cadre strength from 3000 to 6000. Taking advantage of the ungoverned spaces and the Taliban’s inability to […]
MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#62: 05 JANUARY 2023 The TTP and the Pakistani State: How Not to Fight an Insurgency BIBHU PRASAD ROUTRAY ABSTRACT After calling off its months-long ceasefire with the Pakistani state in November 2022, the TTP has launched an unprecedented wave of country-wide violence. The bulk of the violence, however, is concentrated in the settled […]
MANTRAYA POLICY BRIEF#43: 30 NOVEMBER 2022 The Rise of Islamic State’s Khorasan Province BIBHU PRASAD ROUTRAY ABSTRACT The Islamic State’s Khorasan Province (ISKP) is on an ascent in Afghanistan. Its violent attacks targeting both the Taliban members and the civilians belonging to the minority communities have continued, despite ‘measures’ taken by the Islamic Emirate. Not […]
MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#61: 26 OCTOBER 2022 Emerging Faultlines within the Taliban: Implications for Afghanistan & Pakistan SHANTHIE MARIET D’SOUZA & BIBHU PRASAD ROUTRAY ABSTRACT The continuing closure of girls’ schools in Afghanistan, in spite of the promises made by the Taliban, is one of the many issues which have brought deep factionalism among the former insurgents. […]
MANTRAYA ANALYSIS#60: 11 OCTOBER 2022 State of Play: Lashkar-e-Taiba in Kashmir BIBHU PRASAD ROUTRAY ABSTRACT Terrorist violence in Jammu & Kashmir is decreasing. And yet, terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) continue their attempt to reverse the gains made by the security forces. Backing from the state sponsors in Pakistan, geopolitical changes in Afghanistan and […]
MANTRAYA POLICY BRIEF#42: 19 SEPTEMBER 2022 The Killing of Ayman al Zawahiri: Impact on al Qaeda-linked Terror Groups in Africa BIBHU PRASAD ROUTRAY & SHANTHIE MARIET D’SOUZA ABSTRACT Following the killing of al Qaeda (AQ) chief Ayman al Zawahiri in Kabul on 2 August 2022, the possible impact of neutralizing a leader on the group […]