Saman Ayesha Kidwai

Al-Qaeda and ISIS have attempted to monopolise the transnational jihadist movement and emerge as the sole vanguard of the Ummah (community).

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• May 23, 2023 |
• Issue Brief

Border clashes and failure to act against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have led to rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• December 09, 2022 |
• IDSA Comments

The principles encompassing the Delhi Declaration reiterate that India’s core security concerns broadly resonate with the members of the UNSC.

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• November 16, 2022 |
• IDSA Comments

Research Analyst, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms Saman Ayesha Kidwai’s research article ‘Rivalry between the Taliban and ISKP: The Collision of Terror’ has been published in India Quarterly Journal on 20 October 2022.

Today, Afghanistan finds itself in the cross hairs of a security vacuum and a near-failed state, where the increasing radicalisation of its populace appears to be an inevitable reality. Despite the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001 by the allied forces, it was able to resurge as a powerful non-state actor from 2006 onwards, under the leadership of Mullah Omar. However, that failed to prevent the emergence of other terrorist groups, like the Islamic State—Khorasan Province (ISKP), whose formation in 2015 heralded the beginning of the ongoing rivalry between the two organisations, says Ms Kidwai.

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Concerns of radicalisation in SDF-run facilities in Syria remain high, given that reports flag corruption, crime, and deplorable security conditions at these camps.

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• October 18, 2022 |
• IDSA Comments

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has witnessed a 2000 per cent surge in heroin-related drug seizures between 2017 and 2022, with significant national security and societal consequences.

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• September 12, 2022 |
• IDSA Comments

Balochistan is one of the most restive areas in Pakistan that has endured systematic and extraordinary suppression at the hands of the Pakistani State and its security forces. The Baloch form a distinct ethno-national identity, and dream of creating a Baloch nation-state, but this runs contrary to the overarching Pakistani identity and State, attracting their fury. The Baloch have struggled for decades for international recognition of their plight but have hardly received any support.

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• September 2022 |
• Strategic Analysis

The strike against Zawahiri is being hailed as a vindication of the US’s ‘over-the-horizon’ strategy in eradicating terrorism without placing boots on the ground.

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai |
• August 16, 2022 |
• Issue Brief

Women play active roles in sustaining and facilitating extremist activities on the African continent.

• Saman Ayesha Kidwai, Sindhu Dinesh |
• July 15, 2022 |
• IDSA Comments

Research Analyst, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Ms Saman Ayesha Kidwai’s article ‘The ideological and non-ideological underpinnings of violent extremism: An American study’ has been published in Modern Diplomacy, on 14 July 2022.

Although there is no universal definition of violent extremism, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation believes it to be “the beliefs and actions of people who support or use violence to achieve ideological, religious or political goals,” including “terrorism and other forms of politically motivated violence”, says Ms Kidwai.

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