Taliban

Central Asia, Turkey
Turkish armoured vehicle producers target Central Asian market

As Turkish defence industrialists continue to pursue their commercial ambitions in Central Asian states, the armoured vehicle manufacturer Otokar is expanding its efforts in both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Armenia, Belarus, Central Asia, Russia
Russia pushes for defence focus within Eurasia's block

Despite tensions between the heads of the CSTO, a Eurasian alliance intended to act as a counterweight to NATO, Russia plans to have its member states focus on defence through more concrete action away from political declarations.

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, Central Asia, Russia
Central Asian spymasters want to return Russia's focus to Afghanistan

Silovik chief Nikolai Patrushev is still taking part in discussion forums run by Central Asia's intelligence chiefs worried about the Taliban security risk. But with all their efforts focused on the war in Ukraine, Russia's armed forces have been forced to gradually disengage from that part of the world.

The Agencies' Gazette
Abdullah II in Washington, GCHQ, US shipments to Kyiv, Uzbek border guards, Poupard and DGA

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community from Amman to London via Washington, Paris, Tashkent and Kyiv.

Jordan/United States Abdullah II puts intelligence at centre of US visit agenda

United KingdomGCHQ's mystery Manchester accelerator

Ukraine/United StatesWashington determined to fill Ukraine's military gaps

UzbekistanBorder guards on alert

FranceCybersecurity chief eyes defence procurement role

The Agencies' Gazette
Afghan planes in Tashkent, Russian military engineers decorated, DNI

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, we serve up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community. This week, we go from Paris to Tashkent, Washington, Brussels and Kabul.

Uzbekistan/AfghanistanTashkent refuses to return Afghan planes to Kabul.

RussiaMoscow decorates military engineers.

FranceMarc Burg lures more top spies to his degree course.

ParisSenators call for a law on facial recognition.

United StatesDNI tasked again to tackle China's support to Russia.

EuropeEuropol, future watchdog of foreign investment in the EU.

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.

United States, Uzbekistan
Arnold & Porter help Uzbekistan get closer to Washington

Keen to attract inward investment in its strategic industries, Uzbekistan's government has engaged the services of the law firm's former federal officials.

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.

The Agencies' 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.

Qatar
US and France keep watch on Qatar's pro-Ukraine shift

Despite having heavily invested in Russia when blocked from its Gulf neighbours from 2017 to 2021, Qatar has taken the Ukraine crisis as an opportunity to confirm its support for the Washington-Brussels axis. For Moscow, this does not mean Doha has passed a point of no return.

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.

Ethiopia, South Sudan, United Kingdom
UK-funded Pinpoint develops Ethiopian peacekeepers' intel skills

Two years before the Tigray war began in late 2020, the UK recentred its intelligence training focus for the Ethiopian military on peacekeeping operations. Now the British firm Pinpoint will also train Tanzanian and Rwandan soldiers operating in Somalia.

United Kingdom
London searches for new security contractors to handle its operations in crisis zones

Overseen by the National Security Council (NSC), Britain's CSSF, which provides funds for projects in crisis zones and influence operations, has started the long process of selecting its new contractors. With an annual allocation of £1.