Despite assurances given by the Taliban leadership, a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) report has said there is presence of anti-India foreign terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in Afghanistan.

The 13th report of the Sanctions Monitoring Team under the Taliban Sanctions Committee submitted last week said the Taliban victory had inspired terrorists around the world, confirming the presence of Jaish and Lashkar terror groups.

This the first public confirmation of these two terror groups in Afghanistan by a multilateral body since the Taliban’s takeover. Both groups along with Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan have fighters “each numbering in few hundreds”, it said.

Far from being uprooted, the JeM has appointed Qari Ramazan as the new head of the grouping in Afghanistan.

Quoting a member state, most likely India, the report said, “The JeM maintains eight training camps in Nangarhar, three of which are directly under Taliban control.”

In October 2021, LeT leader Mawlawi Assadullah met Taliban deputy interior minister Noor Jalil. Later in January 2022, a Taliban delegation visited a training camp used by the LeT in Haska Mena district of Nangarhar.

The JeM was said to maintain three camps in Kunar and Nangarhar. The Taliban sanctions committee or the 1988 Security Council Committee is chaired by the Indian envoy to UN TS Tirumurti. The committee comprises all 15 members of the Security Council and makes its decision by consensus. It has two vice-chairs — Russia and the UAE.

Both groups were responsible for carrying out targeted assassinations against government officials and others. Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-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, the report said.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan also maintains a presence in Lal Pura District, near the border area of Mohmand Darah, Pakistan

Courtesy: The Tribune India :31st May , 2022