UNSC report endorses Pakistan’s complaints of increased TTP attacks from Afghan soil
NEW YORK: A United Nations Security Council (UNSC) report has said that attacks on Pakistan by the banned terrorist Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group have increased from Afghanistan, endorsing Islamabad’s long-running complaints about militant sanctuaries across the border.
The 37th report by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, dated February 4, not only endorsed Islamabad’s stance that Afghanistan had become a sanctuary for militants who used its territory to launch attacks on Pakistan, but also came at a time when the country is facing a renewed spate of violence.
Last week, at least 33 people were killed and around 169 others were injured when a suicide bomber struck Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra during Friday prayers. The security forces also concluded “Operation Radd-ul-Fitna-1” in Balochistan following coordinated attacks by terrorists. According to the military, 36 civilians, including women and children, were killed during the operations, while 22 personnel from the security forces and law enforcement agencies “made the ultimate sacrifice”. It said 216 terrorists were also “sent to hell”.
According to UN report, the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan remained a source of concern in Central and South Asia.
“There was an increase in attacks in Pakistan launched by TTP in Afghanistan, which led to military exchanges. Regional relations remained fragile. Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan (ISIL-K) was under sustained counter-terrorism pressure, but it retained a potent capability, coupled with intent to conduct external operations,” it said.
The report also highlighted concern among regional countries about the number of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and the spillover effects, including cross-border attacks and the radicalisation of vulnerable domestic communities.
It said Afghan de facto authorities claimed there were no terrorist groups within Afghanistan’s borders, yet, it said that “no member state supported this view”.
It further said: “The de facto authorities continued to act against ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K) and control the external activities of some other groups. Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), however, was accorded greater liberty and support from the de facto authorities, and consequently TTP attacks against Pakistan increased, amplifying regional tensions.”
The report also said Al Qaeda continued to enjoy the patronage of the de facto authorities, and acted as a service provider and multiplier for other terrorist groups in Afghanistan through training and advice, principally to TTP.
It further added that the TTP operated as one of the largest terrorist groups in Afghanistan, and its attacks on Pakistani security forces and state structures led to military confrontation. Attacks were increasingly complex and, at times, involved large numbers of fighters, it noted.
The report cited an attack on an Islamabad courthouse on November 11 that resulted in 12 deaths and was claimed by a TTP splinter group. It described the incident as the first attack in the capital for several years and a departure from TTP’s previous targeting.
“Some member states expressed concern that TTP may deepen its cooperation with Al Qaeda-aligned groups in order to attack a wider range of targets, potentially resulting in an extra-regional threat.”
The report described Pakistan’s actions against TTP as a major setback for the group.
“TTP suffered several operational setbacks, notably the death of Mufti Muzahim (TTP deputy emir, not listed) in a Pakistani operation in October,” it said.
The report also drew attention to a series of attacks by the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) against Pakistani security forces and projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
“On September 16, the BLA ambushed a Pakistani military convoy patrolling the Corridor, killing 32 troops. While counter-terrorism operations by Pakistan restricted the BLA’s operational space, it remained active.”
It added that some member states reported the BLA collaborated with TTP and ISIL-K through shared training camps and resources, coordinating attacks and meetings between commanders. Some member states assessed there was neither an association nor growing ties between the BLA and Al Qaeda or ISIL (Da’esh).
The report said various groups in Afghanistan had acquired modern weapons and equipment through cross-border smuggling and black-market trade.
“TTP used advanced assault rifles, night-vision devices, thermal-imaging devices, sniper systems and drone attack systems. Most of these were provided by the de facto authorities in conjunction with weapons permits and travel documents,” it said.
However, the report underlined that several member states noted the continued proliferation of weapons from stockpiles left by former partners in the Global Coalition against Da’esh had enhanced the lethality of TTP attacks against Pakistan’s security forces. Monitoring Desk
