The United Nations Security Council Committee on ISIL (aka Daesh) and Al Qaeda/Taliban Monitoring Team has revealed in its 33rd report that the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is receiving substantial support not only from Al Qaeda but also from other militant factions, intensifying concerns about its operations in Pakistan. The collaboration extends beyond the provision of arms and equipment to active on-ground support from the Afghan Taliban.
The report underscores Islamabad’s repeated frustration over the Afghan Taliban’s failure to take action against the outlawed TTP, which has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks within Pakistan. The strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan are exacerbated by Kabul’s perceived reluctance to address the TTP, seen as a direct threat to Pakistan’s national security.
Despite the Afghan Taliban’s official stance discouraging TTP’s activities outside Afghanistan, the report highlights TTP fighters engaging in cross-border attacks in Pakistan without facing substantial consequences. Some Taliban members, motivated by perceived religious duty, have reportedly joined TTP’s ranks, bolstering their operations.
The report also notes regular aid packages from the Afghan Taliban to TTP members and their families, indicating a deeper level of support. The temporary imprisonment and strategic relocation of TTP members by the Afghan Taliban are seen as efforts to alleviate Pakistani pressure to counter the banned TTP activities.
In mid-2023, the report points out the establishment of a new TTP base in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where individuals were trained as suicide bombers. Al Qaeda core and Al Qaeda in the subcontinent are cited as providing training, ideological guidance, and support to the outlawed TTP, illustrating the interconnected nature of these militant networks.
The report reveals Al Qaeda’s orders to allocate resources to the banned TTP, suggesting a deep-rooted collaboration aimed at destabilizing the region. It also highlights the formation of Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan (TJP) as a front to provide plausible deniability to the TTP and the involvement of groups like ETIM/TIP and Majeed Brigade in joint operations with TTP.
Concerns rise over ETIM/TIP’s shift from Badakhshan to Baghlan Province, expanding its operational reach and intensifying recruitment and training efforts, including women. Al Qaeda’s core faction is reported to significantly contribute to ETIM/TIP through training and ideological mentorship.
Meanwhile, the Majeed Brigade, involved in insurgency in Balochistan, collaborates with the outlawed TTP and ISIL-K in various domains. The Brigade’s strategic focus on recruiting female suicide bombers raises additional security concerns in the region.
