Publication

Insurgent and terror groups operating in the tribal areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan are deepening their involvement in organized crime, an aspect of the conflict that at once presents enormous challenges and also potential opportunities for coalition forces trying to implement a population‐centric counterinsurgency strategy. This paper aims to map out how key groups engage in criminal activity in strategic areas, track how involvement in illicit activity is deepening or changing, and illustrate how insurgent and terror groups impose themselves on local communities as they spread to new territory.