Afghanistan, Tajikistan, United States
US diplomat John Ginkel keeps eye on Kabul from Dushanbe

The Intelligence Gazette
Rosfinmonitoring, DNI v Cosco, Russian base in Tajikistan

Appointments, reforms, and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community from Washington to Moscow via Duchanbe.

RussiaFinancial intelligence service teams with FSB on cryptocurrencies in Russia.

United StatesDNI to probe Chinese presence in South American ports

TajikistanRussian base renews engagement in Tajikistan

Tajikistan
Dushanbe aims to ensure that its allies do not forget Taliban threat

Encouraged by the exceptional mobilisation of troops by the Collective Security Treaty Organization in Kazakhstan, the Tajik president has made a point of calling attention to the threat posed by the Afghan Talibans to the south.

Spotlight | China, Russia
Russian soft power ups ambitions in Central Asia for 2022

Moscow has grand plans for its networks of influence abroad over the coming year, starting with the need to maintain its declining dominance in Central Asia. But these ambitious goals could come up against the situation in Kazakhstan, where India, China and other powers are using their own approaches.

Kyrgyzstan, Russia
Afghan tensions affords Bishkek spymasters strategic regional role

Taking advantage of the renewed prominence of Central Asia following the Afghan outbursts, the Kyrgyz spymasters are seeking to consolidate their position and to assert the interests of Bishkek in the regional dynamics between Beijing, Islamabad and New Delhi.

Afghanistan, India, Pakistan
India's intelligence service RAW deployed in bid to influence Afghan affairs

In a new strategy on Afghanistan that keeps India's opposition to Islamabad very much to the forefront, New Delhi has instructed its external intelligence service, the RAW, to corral anti-Taliban forces.

Afghanistan
Taliban high command split between Baradar and Haqqani Network supporters

Despite their victory, the Taliban remain internally divided between supporters of their former negotiator in Doha, Abdul Ghani Baradar, and members of the radical Haqqani Network.

Spotlight | Afghanistan
Armed security companies prepare for the start of a new era in Kabul

Along with Iraq, Afghanistan has been an eldorado for armed security companies over the last 20 years. With the departure of American troops on 30 August, that market suddenly dried up. This does not mean, however, that the country will no longer need armed security companies.

Afghanistan, United States
DynCorp's string of legal woes continues

Dyncorp's defeats in its legal disputes with the US Army and other clients in Afghanistan have dealt an additional blow to the group, which used to be one of the Pentagon's main contractors.

Afghanistan, Qatar
Doha keeps mediator role despite intelligence failures on Taliban

Qatar, home to the political branch of the Taliban since 2011, is proud of its role as mediator and the international visibility that goes with it. Its intelligence errors on the evolution of the situation in Afghanistan seem not to have dented its determination to remain closely involved.

Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
After fall of Kabul, Riyadh takes prudent approach to talks with Taliban

Although keen to keep on the US administration's good side, Saudi Arabia wants to prevent Iran having free rein in Afghanistan and has instructed his spymasters to engage in a prudent dialogue with the Taliban, facilitated by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence.

Afghanistan, Russia, Turkey
Ankara and Moscow jockey for position in Kabul after US withdrawal

The departure of US troops from Afghanistan and the ongoing clashes between Taliban and Afghan forces have put a strain on the Afghan authorities, which are seeking help anywhere they can find it.

Russia
Sergei Korolev to carry Shanghai Pact's anti-terrorism flag

Russia has appointed rising intelligence star Sergei Korolev to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, as it renews its membership with the regional alliance and ramps up efforts to counter various groups it qualifies as terrorist or extremist.

Afghanistan, Russia
Russian services regroup in Dushanbe as NATO withdraws from Kabul

NATO's early withdrawal from Afghanistan, which should be complete on 25 June a few days before US troops pull out on 4 July, is enough to make Russia and its central Asian partners nervous about the road ahead.

Central Asia, Russia
FSB gets active in Tajikistan

As it is already doing in Kyrgyzstan (IOL 627), the FSB Russian internal intelligence service has been closely co-operating with [...]

Tajikistan
Strategic Nurek Site Remains Russian

The Russian Duma has just written off Tajikistan's debt amounting [...]