Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, commonly known as drones) have proved to be game changers in modern warfare and violent conflicts. Their deployment in the war between Ukraine and Russia, the Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and the Libyan Civil War has demonstrated their effectiveness in high-definition surveillance, precision strikes,
While the Israeli-Hamas conflict and, more recently, the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict, have dominated discussions on the Middle East for much of the past year, the focus of attention is now (re-)shifting to Syria, where the armed group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a widely unexpected and remarkably effective offensive on Aleppo,
This author interviewed Ali Maisam Nazary, head of the National Resistance Front’s Foreign Relations and Hamad Saifi, member of the NRF and former Afghanistan Army Commanding Officer, 5th Brigade of the 203rd Thunder Corps. In the three years since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, Afghanistan’s National Resistance Front (NRF) has
Last week, the Paris railroad system was disrupted by planned, coordinated arson attacks. This was not unique, but it signals that major cities must be even better prepared for this “softer,” less violent, but still disruptive form of terrorism. The attacks on Paris’ railroad system occurred just hours before the
The October 7th Hamas attacks on Israel not only ignited a war in Gaza but also a severe escalation along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut and killing Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran are heightening regional tensions. Each strike deepens the fears of a
Since the Taliban took power in August 2021, Doha has hosted three UN-led meetings on Afghanistan. The latest was held on June 30 and July 1, and it marked the first time that representatives from the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate (specifically, from the Ministries of Counter-Narcotic, Trade, and Foreign Affairs) attended
In this episode of Orion Talks, Suat Cubukcu is joined by Travis Moran, a renowned expert in electric infrastructure security. Travis provides an in-depth overview of what constitutes critical infrastructure within the realm of electric energy, highlighting essential assets beyond nuclear power plants. He sheds light on the major threats
Several weeks ago, the date April 14 marked ten years since Boko Haram conducted the infamous abduction of more than 250 girls in the Northeastern Borno State village of Chibok in 2014. The abductions, however, were largely unreported in local or international media until three weeks later. It was at
On May 3, an attack on an internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) left 18 civilians dead and more than 30 others injured. The camps were near Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. According to witnesses quoted by Le Monde, government forces
In this episode of Orion Talks, Suat Cubukcu is joined by Professor Hussain Shaheed Soherwordi. Professor Soherwordi delves into the current economic and political landscape of Pakistan, shedding light on its relations with the Taliban government in Afghanistan and the tense dynamics between the two nations. He discusses the recent
The terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow killed more than 130 people and wounded around 150. Islamic State in the Khorasan Province (ISKP or ISIS-K) claimed responsibility for the attack, which proves that the group has the operational capability to engage in such a large-scale onslaught. It also
Even though political and economic sanctions following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine have led to a recent decline in the Russian arms trade, in recent years the African market continues to thrive. Arms sales and military cooperation with many African countries remain Moscow’s strategic priorities. For instance, Russia has forged
