Saman Ayesha Kidwai

The Taliban is navigating strained relations with Pakistan externally while confronting the threat posed by ISKP and deepening socio-political fault lines internally.

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• February 27, 2026 |
• IDSA Comments

The Baloch question and the ongoing conflict represent the limits of coercive state measures and strategic containment in confronting a festering internal political challenge.

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• February 18, 2026 |
• IDSA Comments

The transfer of Syrian ISIS prisoners to Iraq overlooks structural vulnerabilities within Iraqi society that are likely to intensify as the process unfolds.

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• February 09, 2026 |
• IDSA Comments

Research Analyst, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms Saman Ayesha Kidwai’s research article ‘Indonesia’s (Uneasy) Battle with Terrorism’ has been published in the Journal of Peace Studies by International Centre For Peace Studies, on 30 January 2026. The research article underlines how the Indonesian terror networks have become decentralised (lone wolves and micro cells) and reliant on digital radicalisation in the face of sustained counter-terror pressures by the state. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.

The 18 January 2026 ceasefire agreement contains inherent vulnerabilities that could derail sustainable peace from taking root in post-war Syria.

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• January 23, 2026 |
• IDSA Comments

Gen-Z has reconfigured the violent extremist landscape globally, with its implications often amplified by the digital ecosystem.

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• December 30, 2025 |
• Issue Brief

Sanseito’s rise in the political landscape signals a disruptive shift.

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• December 01, 2025 |
• Issue Brief

South Asia is witnessing new alignments, with divergences between old allies (the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan) and convergences between new partners (India and the Afghan Taliban).

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• October 28, 2025 |
• Issue Brief

Ahmed al-Sharaa’s decision to integrate foreign fighters into the Syrian army accompanies complex structural and security challenges.

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• October 03, 2025 |
• Issue Brief

Research Analyst, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms Saman Ayesha Kidwai’s chapter ‘Routes and Roots: Unveiling the Layers of Afghan Nationalism’ was published in the book volume ‘From Taliban to Taliban: Contextualising Nationhood in Afghanistan’, edited by Mr Niranjan Marjani and Dr Shekhar B. Ashtikar and published by KW Publishers Pvt Ltd. Read Complete Article [+] Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of MP-IDSA or the Government of India.