Books
An Enemy We Created: The Myth of the Taliban–Al Qaeda Merger, 1970–2010 with Alex Strick van Linschoten Hurst / Oxford University Press, 2012 Winner of the Sir Michael Howard Excellence Award Based on field research and primary sources, examining the relationship between the Taliban and al-Qaeda — and the policy consequences of treating them as a single entity. Review: E-International Relations · South Asia Research
The Taliban Reader: War, Islam and Politics in Their Own Words with Alex Strick van Linschoten Hurst / Columbia University Press, 2018 Primary source collection of Taliban statements and documents from 1994–2017. Review: Insight Turkey · Reading Religion · Oxford Academic
I Am Akbar Agha: Memories of the Afghan Jihad and the Taliban by Sayyed Mohammad Akbar Agha; edited by Felix Kuehn & Alex Strick van Linschoten First Draft Publishing, 2014
My Life with the Taliban by Abdul Salam Zaeef; edited and translated by Felix Kuehn & Alex Strick van Linschoten Hurst / Columbia University Press, 2010 Autobiography of former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan — the first insider account of the movement published in English. Review: Contemporary Islam
Poetry of the Taliban edited by Felix Kuehn & Alex Strick van Linschoten Hurst / Columbia University Press, 2012 Review: The New Republic · Poetry Foundation · E-International Relations
Selected Research Projects
Expert Witness Reports (2014–present) Written assessments for UK, European, and North American courts on Afghanistan-related cases, including country conditions, risk assessments, and contextual analysis for terrorism-related proceedings. All reports are built on dedicated primary research — interviews, outreach, and verification. Cases include United States v. Syed Talha Ahsan & Babar Ahmad (US District Court, District of Connecticut, 2012–2014) — expert report on the Taliban–al-Qaeda relationship co-authored with Leah Farall and Alex Strick van Linschoten.
Complex Conflict and Peace Initiative (2021–2024) Co-Project Lead and Project Manager. Follow-up initiative to the Afghan Peace Project, analysing evolving political dynamics and conflict resolution pathways following the fall of the Afghan republic. Managed multi-country research team, producing regular briefings for European foreign ministry. Research project with Queen’s University Belfast.
Afghan Peace Project (2016–2021) Project Manager for multi-year initiative analysing Taliban political dynamics. Managed 20+ person research team across multiple countries, producing weekly briefings for European foreign ministry. Research project with Queen’s University Belfast, funded by European foreign ministry.
Taliban Sources Project (2012–2015) Led the curation and analysis of one of the largest archives of Taliban documents — over 2 million words of material spanning 1979–2014 — creating a searchable database for academic research.
Reports & Policy Papers
Separating the Taliban from al-Qaeda: The Core of Success in Afghanistan with Alex Strick van Linschoten NYU Center on International Cooperation, 2011
Afghanistan: Opportunity in Crisis — Rebooting a Political Settlement Chatham House, 2014 (co-authored)
A Knock on the Door: 22 Months of ISAF Press Releases with Alex Strick van Linschoten Afghanistan Analysts Network, 2011 Quantitative analysis of ISAF’s kill/capture campaign.
Taliban History of War and Peace in Afghanistan in Accord 27: Incremental Peace in Afghanistan Conciliation Resources, 2018
Selected Articles
Libya’s Nightmare Factory Foreign Policy, September 2011
Mogadishu Was a Blast Foreign Policy, June 2010
See You Soon, If We’re Still Alive Foreign Policy, October 2009
Terrorists Without Borders The New Republic, February 2010
Media & Commentary
Analysis and commentary have appeared in The New York Times, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, The Guardian, The New Republic, The National, BBC, CNN, and other outlets. Full list available on request.