Welcome to The Durand Dispatch!
At The Durand Dispatch, we seek to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world policy by delivering sharp, timely analyses on security dynamics, political violence, and militancy across South and Central Asia, with a special focus on the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.
The Durand Dispatch represents a new model for democratizing expertise on South and Central Asia security affairs. Founded by Dr. Amira Jadoon, a leading counterterrorism and international security expert, we’re committed to bringing fresh, diverse perspectives to regional security analysis through our network of student volunteers and local researchers.
Our mission is to cut through the noise, focusing on what matters most. Through careful curation of academic literature, policy papers, militant communications, and on-the-ground reporting, we distill complex regional developments into clear, accessible analysis.
We produce a range of analytical outputs designed to provide a layered understanding of militancy, insurgency, and security dynamics across the Afghanistan–Pakistan region:
Perspectives
Our core article series covering timely developments across security, militancy, and regional relations. Each article analyzes emerging threats, counterrorism dynamics, regional relations, internal governance, and civil unrest, situating events within broader strategic and policy context.
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Strategic Messaging
Our flagship series of regular intelligence briefings and analytical articles focused on propaganda, narratives, and information operations by militant and non-state actors. It examines how groups shape legitimacy, construct recruitment narratives, and operate across evolving media ecosystems. Through in-depth analysis of organisations such as the Tehrik-i-Taliban, Islamic State, Al-Qaeda, Baloch militant groups and others, we deliver specialised, intelligence-driven insights –published as monthly analytical briefs, short articles, and long-form analysis.
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Featured Articles
Independent, in-depth analyses of key regional security issues, written by external contributors. We prioritise work from local scholars, field researchers, and regional specialists, whose close engagement with these environments brings nuanced, experience-driven insight to complex security dynamics.
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Infographics
Aiming to translate complex regional developments into clear, accessible visuals.
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Security Bulletins
Our Security Bulletins provide a curated roundup of the latest developments affecting security in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Published regularly, they compile reporting on militancy, counterterrorism operations, border security, and other significant policy and security developments, offering readers a concise overview of key events and emerging trends.
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Bespoke Research
We offer bespoke research services tailored to the needs of governments, organisations, businesses, and researchers. Drawing on our regional expertise, we deliver high-quality, evidence-based analysis on security, politics, conflict, and related issues across Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the wider region.
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The Team
Amira Jadoon, Ph.D.
Founder
Amira Jadoon Ph.D.
Amira Jadoon is a political scientist and professor at Clemson University, prior to which she worked at the Combating Terrorism Center at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York (2017-2022). Her research explores the multifaceted consequences of international security tools & counterterrorism strategies, examining their interlinkages with political violence, extremism, and the strategic dissemination of disinformation. Jadoon has published in numerous academic and policy journals including the Journal of Politics, Journal of Conflict Resolution, and International Studies Quarterly and is also the author of the book, The Islamic State in Afghanistan and Pakistan: Strategic Rivalries and Alliances (Lynne Rienner, 2023). Additionally, she is a non-resident fellow at the Stimson Center, and an associate editor at the European Journal of International Security. In 2022, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) named Jadoon as one of 50 honorees in the U.S. National Security & Foreign Affairs Leadership List.
Jadoon regularly briefs and engages with elements at all levels of the United States Government, including the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense as well as with international organizations and policymakers. She is fluent in Urdu, Hindko, and Punjabi and holds a Ph.D. in Political Science (State University of New York, Albany) and an MSc in Economic Development (London School of Economics). Prior to beginning her career in academia and research, Dr. Jadoon worked as a consultant for Deloitte London (U.K.) between 2006-2011.
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Joey Moran
Managing Editor
Joey Moran
Joey Moran is a researcher specialising in militancy, insurgency, and international security relations. His work combines open-source intelligence, qualitative analysis, and data-driven methods to examine political violence, militant behaviour, and evolving regional security dynamics. He holds an MSc in Organised Crime, Terrorism and Security from the University of Essex.
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Saif Tahir
Strategic Messaging Lead
Saif Tahir
Saif Tahir is a Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) analyst and policy researcher with expertise in analysing jihadist propaganda narratives. His research focuses on analyzing jihadist propaganda, tactical and operational narratives, and the militant landscape across Pakistan and Afghanistan. As a doctoral candidate at Victoria University of Wellington, Saif’s research focuses on analyzing non-state actors’ visual propaganda and online engagement patterns.
Syed Sami Raza
Subject Matter Expert
Syed Sami Raza
Syed Sami Raza is an Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Peshawar, specializing in Critical IR, Critical Legal Studies, and Critical Security Studies. His work focuses on terrorism, radicalization, and geopolitics in the Pakistan–Afghanistan borderland. A Fulbright Scholar, he holds a PhD from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, a postdoctoral fellowship from UCLA, and advanced degrees in political science and law. He is the author of influential Routledge books on Pakistan’s security state and borderland geopolitics, has led major national and UNDP-funded projects, and brings field-informed, multilingual expertise to regional security debates.
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Zainab Biabani
Research and Editorial Associate
Zainab Biabani
Zainab Biabani is a researcher specializing in countering violent extremism (CVE), international humanitarian responses, and migration. Her experience spans foreign policy and irregular migration research. She has contributed to regional analysis on South and Central Asia, and has worked with underserved populations through roles in basic needs programs, college access mentoring, and public service organizations. Her interests include international security, terrorism, human rights, and the intersection of policy and social equity. She holds a B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations from UC Berkeley.
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John Elliot
Researcher
John Elliot
John Elliot is a Master’s student studying Economic Analytics at Clemson University, where he also graduated with a dual major Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics. He is also a research intern at ACG Analytics. His career ambitions reflect a passion for data analytics and foreign policy, with a particular interest in global politics.
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Ameera Moinuddin
Researcher
Ameera Moinuddin
Ameera Moinuddin is an undergraduate student at Wake Forest University pursuing a double major in Politics and International Affairs and Statistics. Having lived in both Pakistan and the Middle Eastern Gulf, and being a native Urdu speaker, she is most interested in the politics of South Asia and the Middle East. Ameera regularly writes for the college newspaper, showing her passion for writing and research, and is a member of the judicial branch in the Wake Forest Student Government. After completing her undergraduate degree, she intends to attend law school.
William Shillinglaw
Researcher
William Shillinglaw
William Shillinglaw is a Master’s student in Applied Intelligence at Georgetown University. Having graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government at Clemson University, he specialised in counterterrorism, unconventional warfare, and state sponsorship of terrorism. His work focuses on producing accurate, accountable analysis of regional security developments, with an emphasis on understanding militant dynamics and their broader strategic implications.
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Suravi Kumar
Researcher
Suravi Kumar
Suravi Kumar is a researcher specialising in transnational security threats and peacebuilding, with an MA in Security Policy Studies from George Washington University. Her research focuses on terrorism, insurgency, conflict analysis, arms proliferation, conflict resolution, and regional security, particularly in Afghanistan and Pakistan. She currently serves as a Political Analysis and Research Intern at the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), where she supports analysis of evolving terrorism trends and multilateral counterterrorism efforts.
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