Taliban support

THE latest UN monitoring report analysing the activities of several transnational terrorist groups is unequivocal in its assessment: the Afghan Taliban “have continued their support” to the banned TTP. Though the report says that the regime in Kabul has taken some tepid steps to control its TTP comrades, this is clearly not enough, as the continuing reign of terror orchestrated by the TTP in Pakistan shows. Moreover, the document also confirms that Taliban-ruled Afghanistan remains a safe haven for a number of lethal terrorist groups, posing a grave security challenge to regional countries. These outfits include IS-K, Al Qaeda — which includes AQIS, its Indian subcontinent arm — and ETIM. The report says that IS-K poses the biggest threat to both the Taliban regime and the broader region, despite suffering setbacks due to the kinetic action taken by Pakistan as well as Kabul. Some parts of the report deserve particular attention. For example, it says that IS-K and the banned BLA may be collaborating. Moreover, the TTP has apparently expanded its operations to Balochistan, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Al Qaeda has also solidified its support to the TTP, while AQIS, through the Ittehadul Mujahideen Pakistan, has stepped up its terrorist attacks in this country. Beyond Pakistan-centric groups, ETIM is active in the Wakhan corridor, which poses a direct threat to China. These findings indicate that the TTP is looking to broaden its geographical reach, while AQIS is also expanding its violent footprint. The UN report says that the Kabul regime has taken some steps to try and control the TTP. These include relocating around 2,000 terrorists and their dependants away from the Pakistan border. Moreover, it says that Afghan Taliban supremo Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada has “warned the TTP leadership … to halt attacks targeting Pakistan” or risk losing the Taliban’s support. These warnings appear to have fallen on deaf ears, as the TTP has not scaled back its bloody