Asia-Pacific Overview: April 2026
Fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan entered a second month, rido violence peaked in the Philippines, and airstrikes in Myanmar grew deadlier.
Analysis
Staff
Pearl Pandya
Senior Analyst, South Asia
Pearl Pandya is the South Asia Senior Analyst at ACLED, having joined the organization in February 2022 as an India Researcher. In her current role, she oversees the South Asia research team and performs data review and analysis. Prior to joining ACLED, she worked on international law and human rights at the UN, and in local politics in India. Pearl holds a master’s degree in public international law from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a LL.B. from King's College London.
Spoken languages: English, Hindi and Gujarati Timezone: GMT
Content by this author
Pearl Pandya on South Asia’s fears as Iran war targets the Gulf
ACLED’s South Asia Senior Analyst, Pearl Pandya, comments on South Asian countries non-involvement strategy in Iran war
Pearl Pandya on renewed Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul
ACLED’s South Asia Analyst Pearl Pandya comments on cross-border escalation as Pakistan targets civilian infrastructure in Afghanistan
Pearl Pandya on Pakistan’s strikes against Afghanistan as border tensions escalate
ACLED’s South Asia Senior Analyst Pearl Pandya comments on the latest attacks targeting the Afghan Taliban’s military infrastructure.
Asia-Pacific Overview: March 2026
Rising militancy between Afghanistan and Pakistan once again triggered hostilities, resistance infighting in Myanmar turned deadly, and the war in Iran has threatened wider domestic instability in Pakistan.
Pearl Pandya on what Iran-US escalation means for ongoing Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict
ACLED’s Pearl Pandya comments on Afghanistan-Pakistan clashes and what this weekend’s Iran-US escalation means for neighboring stability.
The TTP’s resurgence lies at the heart of the Afghanistan-Pakistan dispute
Regardless of how the fighting goes, there's no easy way out. As long as the TTP threatens Pakistan’s internal stability, tensions will continue.
Asia-Pacific Overview: February 2026
Balochistan Liberation Army launched deadly suicide bombings, security forces clashed with Naxal-Maoist rebels in India, and an operation to confiscate guns in Papua New Guinea turned deadly.
Upcoming events
Webinar | The eastern front: Regional reverberations of the Iran War on South Asia
Join ACLED on 16 April, at 1pm London | 5pm Islamabad for a timely webinar examining how the Iran conflict is reshaping South Asia. This discussion will explore the interplay between regional conflicts, the role of armed groups, and broader societal impacts. Register now!
Past events
Webinar I The battle for the borderlands: How the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan is challenging the state’s control
Watch the recorded conversation unpacking the increase in TTP activity since 2021, the Pakistani state response, and the civilian impact of their expanding operations.
