More than 6,000 Pakistani insurgents are hiding in Afghanistan, a fresh UN report says.
The report released earlier this week said most of the militants belonged to the outlawed Pakistani Talibani group that is responsible for attacks on Pakistani military and civilian targets.
According to the report, the group, known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP), has linked up with the Afghan-based affiliate of the Islamic State extremist group. Some TTP members have even joined the IS affiliate, which has its headquarters in eastern Afghanistan.
The Afghan government did not respond on July 26 to requests by the AP news agency for comment.
The report was prepared by the UN analytical and sanctions monitoring team, which tracks terrorist groups around the world.
The report said IS in Afghanistan, known as IS in Khorasan Province, has suffered losses as a result of being targeted by Afghan security forces as well as U.S. and NATO forces, and even on occasion by the Afghan Taliban.
The report estimated that the membership of IS in Afghanistan is 2,200, and while its leadership has been depleted, IS still counts among its leaders a Syrian national, Abu Said Mohammad al-Khorasani.
The report also said the monitoring team had received information that two senior Islamic State commanders, Abu Qutaibah and Abu Hajar al-Iraqi, had recently arrived in Afghanistan from the Middle East.
“Although in territorial retreat, [the Islamic State[ remains capable of carrying out high-profile attacks in various parts of the country, including Kabul. It also aims to attract Taliban fighters who oppose the agreement with the United States," the report said, referring to a U.S. peace deal signed with the Taliban in February.
That deal was struck to allow the U.S. to end its 19-year involvement in Afghanistan, and calls on the Taliban to guarantee its territory will not be used by terrorist groups. The deal is also expected to guarantee the Taliban's all-out participation in the fight against IS.
The second and perhaps most critical part of the agreement calls for talks between the Taliban and Kabul's political leadership.
Late on July 25, the U.S. State Department issued a statement saying its peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, was again shuttling through the region seeking to jump start those negotiations, which have been repeatedly postponed as both sides squabble over a prisoner release program.
UN Says Thousands Of Pakistani Militants In Afghanistan
- By RFE/RL
Editor's Picks
Subscribe
Afghanistan/Pakistan Trending
1
Afghanistan, The Only Country Where Images Of Living Things Are Banned
2'The Taliban Likes Facebook': Why The 'Photo Ban' In Afghanistan Won't Work
3Afghan Women Not Barred From Speaking To Each Other, Says Taliban
4Turkey Deports 325 Afghan Nationals In 48 Hours
5Afghan Journalists Fear Losing 'Last Remaining' Freedoms
6Taliban To Attend UN Climate Conference For First Time
7Taliban Searches Houses In Kabul After Rocket Attack Claimed By Freedom Front
8Taliban Carries Out Sixth Public Execution Since Returning To Power
9This Afghan Family Is Surviving On Leftovers From Neighbors
103 Die In Clash Between Taliban, Islamic State-Khorasan In Afghanistan
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
