6,500 Pak nationals among fighters: UN

NEW DELHI: There are some 6,500 Pakistani nationals among the foreign terrorists operating in Afghanistan and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) play a key role in bringing foreign fighters into the war-torn country, according to a UN report.

The report, from the UN Security Council’s analytical support and sanctions monitoring team and issued late last month, indicated the Pakistani terrorists formed a significant part of the foreign fighters that pose a serious threat to Afghanistan’s security because of their activities and permanent presence in the country.

It said the Afghan Taliban’s role as a credible counter-terrorism partner for the international community in the aftermath of the February agreement with the US will need careful monitoring because of the “number of foreign terrorist fighters in search of a purpose and livelihood in Afghanistan, including up to 6,500 Pakistanis”.

There was no immediate reaction from Indian officials to the UN report. There have been reports since last year of JeM and LeT, both blamed for high-profile attacks in India, sending in hundreds of fighters to Afghanistan following increased pressure from the world community on Pakistan to crack down on terror groups. he UN report said Afghan officials highlighted Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), JeM and LeT among the foreign groups posing a security threat. All three groups have a presence in the eastern Afghan provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar, and Nuristan, “where they operate under the umbrella of the Afghan Taliban”, the report said.

Afghan interlocutors said JeM and LeT “facilitate the trafficking of terrorist fighters into Afghanistan, who act as advisers, trainers, and specialists in improvised explosive devices”.

The report added: “Both groups are responsible for carrying out targeted assassinations against government officials and others. Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-i-Mohammed were stated to have approximately 800 and 200 armed fighters, respectively, co-located with Taliban forces in Mohmand Darah, Dur Baba and Sherzad Districts of Nangarhar Province.” In Kunar province, LeT “retains a further 220 fighters” and JeM “has a further 30, all of whom are dispersed within Taliban forces”, according to the report. The report highlighted the close links between the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda despite the signing of the agreement with the US in February.