Anoushka Varma

Anoushka Varma is an Analyst at The Soufan Group

In her role, she conducts open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysis to support client-facing threat assessments, producing actionable insights to inform security decision-making and risk mitigation.

Her areas of expertise include jihadist movements, non-state armed groups, insurgent governance, and regional security dynamics in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.

Prior to joining The Soufan Group, Anoushka worked as a Research Assistant at The Soufan Center. Her research focused on jihadism and security dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa, including the evolution of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), as well as broader trends in militant activity and governance in conflict-affected regions.

Anoushka earned a Bachelor of Science in Politics and Economics from the University of Bristol, where she specialised in ethnic conflict in post-colonial states. She earned her Master’s degree in Global Affairs from New York University, graduating magna cum laude, with a concentration in international relations.