Inter-Services Intelligence

The Intelligence Gazette
Syrian chemical programme, UK's Economic Crime Committee, Swedish StratCom at NATO, Pakistani ambassador in Kabul, Skopje and NATO, PLA in Taiwan

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community from London to Stockholm, via Kabul and Skopje.

France/SyriaFrench company Smart Pegasus remains under sanctions for participating in Syrian chemical weapons program.

United KingdomOpposition MP's push parliamentary Economic Crime Committee project.

Sweden/LatviaSwedish anti-fake news agency shines at NATO's StratCom.

Pakistan/AfghanistanISI investigates attempted assassination of Pakistani ambassador in Kabul.

North MacedoniaSkopje intelligence chief learns the rope at NATO.

ChinaPeople's Liberation Army tests modern urban warfare techniques to hone Taiwan strategy.

Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
Saudi spymaster Khaled bin Ali Al Humaidan mediates between Islamabad and Kabul

Keen to resolve tensions with its Taliban neighbours, Pakistan has called on Saudi Arabia's help to mediate but those efforts have been unsuccessful for the moment.

The Intelligence Gazette
CIA and Taliban, UK geospatial intel, Russian control centre in Ukraine, Serbian BIA

Appointments, reforms and key issues: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets of news, big and small, from the global intelligence community. This week we hone in on Doha, Baghdad, London and Moscow.

United States/AfghanistanIslamabad and Doha aid CIA-Taliban meeting.

United KingdomIntelligence issues in British space strategy.

RussiaIntelligence services at heart of new Ukraine coordination council.

SerbiaVucic blends geopolitics with internal security.

Pakistan
Army chief Qamer Javed Bajwa wants more time to improve relations with Saudi Arabia

A key figure in the Pakistani state hierarchy, chief of the army staff Qamer Javad Bajwa wants his tenure extended so that he can continue to work on improving Pakistan's relations with Saudi Arabia and deal with pressing security issues, like the growing influence of the Pakistani Taliban movement.

Pakistan, UAE
Bristol Engineering Service, the Pakistani deep state's Emirati relay

The Dubai-based company led by businessman Majjid Bashir Ahmed serves as one of the Pakistani deep state's offshore tools. It helps connect Islamabad's defence industry with foreign buyers and contributes to the country's stock of foreign military equipment.

Afghanistan
Haqqani Network threatens to break away from main Taliban movement with Pakistani backing

Showing unprecedented pragmatism, the Haqqani Network has criticised the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan for their religious radicality and is increasingly looking to take an independent line from the rest of the movement.

Afghanistan
Taliban out of favour with Islamabad over worsening security situation

A worsening security situation, the rise of the local branch of Islamic State and a cooling of support from Pakistan are just some of the difficulties facing Afghanistan's increasingly divided Taliban.

Afghanistan, China
Guoanbu calls on ISI to cooperate with Taliban secret services

Concerned by the security situation in Afghanistan, China has spoken with the Taliban in order to secure its interests, all with the help of Pakistani spymasters.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
Islamabad seeks Saudi funds to finance military industry

Pakistan is strengthening its intelligence cooperation with Saudi Arabia and is also keen to see more Saudi investment in its defence industry, which was discussed at the first edition of the World Defense Show in Riyadh earlier this month.

The Intelligence Gazette
Rosfinmonitoring, Pakistan's ISI

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community, this week from Moscow and Islamabad.

RussiaFinancial intelligence gagged

PakistanInter-Services Intelligence Peshawar network slips up

Afghanistan, Qatar
Taliban seek funds to finance new army

Still persona non grata in international politics, the Taliban are hoping to negotiate their first contracts with the West and shed sanctions paralysing their ambitions in Afghanistan. The Biden administration does not, for the moment, have any plans to shift its position.

Pakistan
ISI worries about protecting Chinese investments in troubled Balochistan

With the presence of secessionist factions, the Pakistani Taliban branch and the local affiliate of Islamic State, the province of Balochistan, where China is carrying out a number of major projects, has become increasingly unstable.

Saudi Arabia
Riyadh counts on restored alliance with Islamabad to boost nuclear counter-espionage capacities

Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, which is useful to Riyadh as a channel of communication with the Talibans in Afghanistan, is also of interest because of its know-how in the nuclear field. Saudi Arabia plans to provide Pakistan's military industrial complex with fresh financing in return for more help in the development of its own nuclear sector.

Pakistan
Islamabad tries to force Pakistani Talibans back to the border following truce breakdown

Pakistan's powerful Inter-Services Intelligence believed that it could bring the country's Talibans back into line by organising a truce. Now that the truce has been broken, however, spy chiefs are concentrating on securing Pakistan's border with Afghanistan at the risk of alienating their allies in Kabul.

Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia
Riyadh renews contact with Taliban via Pakistani intelligence

Saudi Arabia, which is keen to find a new role for itself in Afghanistan, has contacted Pakistan's omnipresent Inter-Services Intelligence, which is already engaged in helping rebuild the Taliban army. Riyadh sees Afghanistan as offering a new opportunity to counter the activities of its rival, Iran, which is watching the new Saudi-Pakistani partnership uneasily.

Pakistan
Afghan Taliban mediate between their Pakistani counterparts and the government in Islamabad

Faced with a resurgence in the activities of the Taliban Pakistani branch, Tehrik-i-Taliban, the Pakistani intelligence services have opted for dialogue rather than armed repression. They asked the new rulers in Afghanistan to negotiate a truce, which was finally concluded on 9 November.