Afghanistan under Taliban remains ‘permissive haven’ for al-Qaeda: UNSC report – Hindustan Times

NEW DELHI: Many nations have concerns about Afghanistan being a source of insecurity for the region even as the country continues to be used by al-Qaeda as a “permissive haven” under the Taliban, according to a new United Nations Security Council (UNSC) report.

The Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP) poses a “manifest and serious threat” within Afghanistan and to the immediate region and UN member states have concerns about the Taliban’s capability to effectively combat the “sophisticated” threat represented by ISKP, said the report prepared by the team that monitors sanctions imposed on the Taliban.

The report acknowledged that the Taliban, which assumed power in Kabul in August 2021, had strengthened control across Afghanistan, leading to improved peace and stability internally and reduced corruption. However, it added: “Many Member States expressed concern that in most scenarios, Afghanistan will remain a source of insecurity for Central Asia and the region.”

The continued tolerance of a range of terrorist groups by the Taliban “sets the conditions for terrorism to project into neighbouring States”, the report said. The Taliban have also “proved unable or unwilling” to manage the threat from Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), whose attacks in Pakistan have intensified.

While the Taliban have acted to constrain the activities of al-Qaeda, UN member states believe the group’s “reorganisation and training activities, as well as new travel into Afghanistan, indicate that the group still uses Afghanistan as a permissive haven under the Taliban”, the report said.

Al-Qaeda continues to “operate covertly” in Afghanistan to project the image that the Taliban is adhering to the Doha Agreement with the US, which prevents the use of Afghan soil for terrorist purposes. Al-Qaeda cells are active in many Afghan provinces and several of its facilities are being used for training local fighters, the report said.

In this context, the report cited the specific instance of several Arab al-Qaeda members travelling to Kunar and Nuristan provinces of Afghanistan for training and to facilitate communications between the group’s leaders, al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) and elements of the Taliban.

Abdelazim Ben Ali, a senior Libyan al-Qaeda member is reportedly serving in the Taliban’s interior ministry and was issued Afghan passports under the aliases Abd al-Azim and Ali Musa bin Ali al-Darsi, the report said.

The report said the Taliban’s leadership, which remains non-inclusive and predominantly Pashtun, has launched a drive to create “jihadi madrasas” in each Afghan province to train and indoctrinate young students into the group’s ideology.

All of these developments coincide with efforts by the Taliban to seek foreign help to maintain their large stockpiles of weapons and defence hardware and to acquire additional military equipment and drones.

A delegation led by Mullah Mohammad Yaqub Omari, the Taliban’s acting defence minister, visited the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference in Doha in March to secure contracts for air defence systems, maintenance services, and spare parts for vehicles.

“The failure to secure such contracts was a blow to Taliban ambitions for their military capabilities,” the report said.

However, all Taliban ministries have been instructed to set aside a percentage of their budgets for a special fund to be used for purchasing new weapons systems, and the group’s “Advanced Weapons Commission” is discussing the “production of enhanced drones”.