On March 13, 2025, in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov signed an agreement to resolve a decades-long dispute over border demarcation and the control of water resources. Both countries’ parliaments ratified the deal a week later. For many months, the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan worked to settle their differences peacefully to the benefit of the people of both countries and those of the entire region. The talks, which Kyrgyz national security chief Kamchybek Tashiev described as “very difficult,” bore fruit. Tashiev and his Tajik counterpart, Saimumin Yatimov, signed a protocol on…
Unipath
Counterterrorism cooperation between Pakistan and the United States has a long history. That cooperation remains strong, as highlighted by Pakistan’s recent capture of Mohammad Sharifullah, an Islamic State Khorasan Province terrorist wanted for planning the August 2021 suicide bombing attack at Kabul airport in Afghanistan. The Pakistan military captured Sharifullah in a February 2025 operation along the border with Afghanistan after receiving an intelligence tip on his location from the U.S. and extradited him to face criminal charges. In March 2025, the terrorist was charged in U.S. Federal Court with helping to plan the attack at the Abbey Gate entrance…
Egypt and Bahrain enjoy close relations based on a common understanding of security requirements in the region. The two countries have developed consistent and comprehensive bilateral policies to strengthen regional security and maintain sustainable growth in the best interests of their peoples. The military aspect of the relationship includes interoperability and unification of concepts through bilateral and joint training and exercises, as well as exchanges of military personnel to acquaint them with the capability improvement programs and plans of each other’s armed forces. To this end, a delegation from the Egyptian Military Academy, Higher College of Warfare, visited the Royal…
Oman’s strategic position and its coastline that extends more than 3,000 kilometers along the Arabian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea make it a major supporter of maritime security. Realizing that one hand can’t clap, the country combines efforts with those of regional and global partners to enhance maritime security, trade and environmental sustainability on those three bodies of water. It was among the first nations to join the multinational naval partnership Combined Maritime Forces, the Bahrain-based partnership founded in 2002. The Sultanate also works closely with the United States to ensure freedom of navigation in the…
Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov has made military modernization his country’s primary goal in 2025. The emergent Turkmen military, 40,000 strong according to the Global Fire Power Index, is becoming a regional power and already has the largest tank corps in Central Asia. Turkmenistan is investing in better training, equipment, weapons, accommodations and increased salaries for military service members. During a session of the country’s State Security Council in January 2025, Berdimuhamedov emphasized the “critical role” of the military in “maintaining the nation’s security and stability.” “Turkmenistan is rapidly expanding and modernizing its military to allow Ashgabat to defend itself against…
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), long a major contributor to defense technology in support of peace and security throughout the world, has become a global hub where multinational corporations specializing in defense industries gather to showcase products to address security challenges. In February 2025, the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in the UAE hosted the 2025 International Defence Exhibition & Conference (IDEX), alongside the Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition (NAVDEX). IDEX/NAVDEX drew 1,556 exhibitors from 65 countries, which is 16% more than the previous iteration. Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee of IDEX/NAVDEX, Maj. Gen. Pilot Faris Khalaf Al…
To keep pace with the constant advancement of defense technology and military tactics, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been modernizing its Armed Forces in terms of equipment, resources, capabilities and skills. It has concluded major deals to supply advanced weapons, participated in bilateral and joint exercises, and stipulated in its Vision 2030 that half of its military procurements be supplied domestically. As part of a training program to enhance its Air Force, the Saudis held an annual multinational exercise called Spears of Victory. Air forces from 15 nations participated in the 12-day exercise in January and February 2025 at…
A small, unmanned quadcopter drone — something available on the commercial market for a few hundred dollars — crashes near a village. Green smoke streams from a canister affixed to the body of the drone. A yell shatters the morning air: “Gas!” Five villagers collapse on the ground, gagging and writhing. It’s a sign of exposure to a chemical warfare agent that, left untreated, can asphyxiate its victims. A multinational team of Egyptian, Qatari and Indian Soldiers arrives on the scene. “Deploy the robot!” a Soldier shouts as a remote-controlled vehicle rolls up to investigate the drone wreckage. Qatari troops…
Qatari Special Forces raided an enemy-held oil platform, rescued hostages on a passenger jet, stormed a metro train and cleared city streets. These crisis simulations were part of Invincible Sentry 2025, a counterterrorism exercise in which special operations troops from Qatar and the United States proved once again they could operate together as partners to strengthen regional security. Qatar hosted Invincible Sentry from April 13 to 17, 2025, the third time in six years it has invited U.S. forces to participate in the combined military exercise. The previous iteration, in 2021, focused on securing the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament…
In a world where asymmetric threats evolve faster than conventional responses, effective intelligence gathering is no longer the exclusive domain of satellites, cyber assets or even elite military units. Increasingly, it is the alert citizen — the person on the street, in the market or along a smuggling corridor — who becomes the key to stopping the next attack. Recognizing this, the U.S. Department of War has long employed a powerful tool: the DoW Rewards Program (DoWRP). This initiative offers money to people who provide timely, credible information that helps protect U.S. and allied forces or disrupts threats to regional…