Pakistan's support to Taliban regime emboldens terror inside its borders: UN report

Nearly two years after the Pakistani deep state welcomed the Taliban's comeback to power in Afghanistan, the United Nations Security Council in its latest report said that the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan has "emboldened" Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan [TTP], resulting in an increase in cross-border attacks in Pakistan.

It noted that there was evidence that several global terrorist entities are using the TTP as cover to evade restrictions of the Afghan Taliban, adding that greater restrictions over such groups could push them to join the Islamic State of Khorasan (ISKP).

The report claimed that in June 2023, some TTP operatives were relocated away from the Pak-Afghan border at a request from Pakistan.

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However, the TTP could become a regional threat if it continues enjoying the patronage of the Taliban, it says, adding that "one" member state noted that TTP was being aided by Al Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).

How Pakistan's support to Taliban is haunting it now?

The ties between Afghan Taliban and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan have been forged in decades of war both inside Afghanistan and across the border in Pakistan.

The leader of the TTP has sworn allegiance to the Taliban's so-called emir and says his group is part of the Taliban's Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

In recent years, the TTP is known to have garnered support from factions of Afghanistan's current Taliban rulers to aim its agenda of expanding Afghanistan's borders beyond the Durand Line, the internationally recognised Pakistan-Afghanistan border which Kabul deems invalid because it was created by British imperialists.

Ayman al-Zawahiri successor still in Iran: UN report

The report while quoting assessments of "some member states" claims that Saif al-Adl, most likely to succeed Ayman al-Zawahiri, is still in Iran.

It further adds that the numerical strength of al-Qaeda Central in Afghanistan is between 30 to 60 members, while its fighters are estimated to be 400, reaching 2,000 with family members included. Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent has approximately 200 fighters.

The report further noted that Islamic State Khorasan (ISKP) continues to pose the most serious threat in Afghanistan and the wider region and beyond to Europe highlighting the group's recent high-profile attacks in Afghanistan against senior Taliban leaders.

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It adds that Mawlawi Rajab, previously identified as ISKP leader, Shahab al-Muhajir's deputy, has been appointed as Head of external operations of ISKP.

The report termed the claim of one State member that Sanaullah Ghafari (Shahab al-Muhajir) was killed in June, as "not confirmed".

The report assessed that ISKP might pursue high-impact operations against Western countries and their interests abroad in the medium term, as evidenced by a recently disrupted attack in Strasbourg, France.

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