The timeline highlights key political, military, and social developments that have shaped Afghanistan since 1973. From the fall of the monarchy and the Soviet invasion to the rise of the
Six Decades of Conflict (1973-2026) Read More »
By: Tariq Jahan The recently announced military-technical cooperation agreement between Russia and the Taliban marks one of the most remarkable reversals in Afghanistan’s modern history. While the details of the agreement
When great powers compete, Afghanistan pays the price Read More »
How Afghans responded online to the death of Mullah Mohammad Omar Mujahid’s mother This study explores how Afghans responded on social media to the death of Mullah Omar’s mother, treating
A Mother’s Death and a Nation’s Trauma Read More »
This special report examines the sharp escalation in Taliban–Pakistan tensions, culminating in cross-border airstrikes and clashes in October 2025. Since 2022, repeated Pakistani strikes inside Afghanistan have caused civilian casualties,
A Proxy No More? Pakistan, the Taliban, and the Collapse of a Patron–Proxy Model Read More »
How a quiet U.S.–Pakistan arrangement and Trump’s “deal-making” politics risk another cycle of chaos in Afghanistan and the region. By: Tariq Jahan The month of October turned into a nightmare
Trump’s War of Illusions: Creating Conflicts to Resolve Them Read More »
By: Tariq Jahan Following Pakistan’s airstrikes on Kabul and other Afghan provinces on 9 October, the Taliban retaliated two days later with heavy and light weaponry along multiple points of
By: Tariq Jahan On the night of 9 October 2025, the skies above Kabul—the heart of Afghanistan—were pierced by Pakistani airstrikes. Pakistan claimed it was targeting the leader of Tehrik-i-Taliban
Bombing Brotherhood: Pakistan’s ‘Good Taliban’ Strategy Backfiring Read More »
By Shuaib Mehran and Tariq Jahan Bagram Airfield has been more than a military facility. Built by the Soviet Union and later expanded by the United States, it became
The Bagram Gamble: No Win for Afghanistan Read More »
This policy brief shows how religious education in Afghanistan has been reshaped under the Taliban into a centralized system promoting a single, state-approved interpretation of Islam. Madrassahs have expanded rapidly,
Safeguarding Afghanistan’s Next Generation from Taliban Indoctrination Read More »
The start of September brought a series of earthquakes that flattened villages in eastern Afghanistan, particularly in Kunar province. Entire communities were reduced to rubble, and the death toll passed
From Disaster to Diplomacy: How the Taliban Seek Opportunities in Crises Read More »
© 2026 ACSTD. Afghanistan Center for the Study of Terrorism and Democracy (ACSTD) Ltd, Company No. SC859228.