By Farhan Zahid, Terrorism Monitor: “Barelvism is a South Asian variant of Sufi Islam and is widely practiced in the region. While there are no official figures, it is possible that about 70 percent of Pakistanis adhere to the Hanafi-Sunni sect of Islam, and of those more than half are Barelvi Sunni.
(Los Angeles Times) Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Wednesday extended an olive branch to the Taliban, offering amnesty for war crime convictions and recognition of the insurgent group as a political party in a bid to end the nation's conflict, now in its 17th year.
(IHS Jane’s 360) The Ministry of Defence (MoD) in New Delhi has started to prepare for the establishment of India’s first defence industrial corridor in the country’s southernmost state of Tamil Nadu.
(IHS Jane’s 360) India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has approved procurements worth INR94.25 billion (USD1.44 billion) that include 350,000 of 5.56 mm close quarter battle (CQB) carbines and 41,000 of 7.62 mm light machine guns (LMGs) for all three military services.