Afghanistan and Pakistan have been going at each other this month. They’re reporting dozens dead on each side, which means hundreds in reality. Pakistan has recently been at odds with India. The Trump administration stepped on its dick with both feet, then blazed away with a brace of footguns. After enormous effort to get clear of Pakistan and improve things with India, it all got shredded in an afternoon.
This map of ethnic groups in the two countries is really helpful. See the border? See the same color of brown on either side there in the central area? That line is the Durand Delusion, a brilliant British move, running a line right through what ought to be called Pushtunistan. Not only are they ethnically the same people, it’s common for herders to winter at lower altitude in Pakistan, then scoot across the line for high country grazing in the summer. What could possibly go wrong here?
WarFronts has some top quality coverage on the problem. Now that you’ve had a bit of time to study the map, here’s a blow by blow from the last couple weeks.