Recent Appearances...

Warning: Undefined array key "rbname" in /data/rantburg.com/www/rantburg/pgrecentorg.php on line 14
Hello !
Recent Appearances...

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

'They Kill Everyone': How Central Asian Militants Carried Out Massacre in Syria

2025-03-12

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
by Sergey Adamov

[REGNUM] The past few days in Syria have seen an unprecedented surge in violence against local religious minorities: Alawite Muslims and Christians. Social media has been rocked by hundreds of videos in which militants proudly documented their crimes, including mass murders of unarmed people and public torture.

Throughout the conflict, Regnum correspondents were in contact with residents of the Syrian coast, thanks to which they were able to collect dozens of testimonies from civilians about crimes committed by militants.

Eyewitnesses note that militants of foreign origin, natives of Central Asia and the Caucasus, who are noticeably different from Arabs in appearance and stand out against their background, showed particular cruelty in reprisals against the civilian population.

A longstanding problem in the region.

A Red Crescent volunteer, who witnessed mass executions, spoke about the atrocities of foreigners. "The murders are happening for no reason, it is not the military or soldiers who are doing this. These are foreigners - Afghans, Uzbeks, Uighurs," said the author of the video, published on social networks.

Now the new Syrian authorities are arresting civilians for communicating with the media (primarily with the Russian media), so all reports from sources are published anonymously. However, oral testimonies can only serve as confirmation of the crimes in which natives of the Caucasus and Central Asia took part, who do not hide their goals: to create a monolithic society in Syria, united by a radical ideology, in order to carry this ideology further.

GUESTS FROM THE EAST
Militants of foreign origin first appeared in Syria during the first stage of the civil war in 2011–2012. The leadership of the Al-Qaeda* movement called on Central Asians to participate in military operations in the Middle East.

Terrorists from Uzbekistan (Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, IMU), Tajikistan and the Caucasus (Anjad-Kavkaz*)

…or Ajnad al-Kavkaz, Chechen group that split off from Caucasus Emirate…

were able to penetrate through Turkey into the northern regions of Syria, where they came into direct contact with the local branch of Al-Qaeda*, the Jabhat al-Nusra* group (later Hayat Tahrir al-Sham*).

Later, militants from among ethnic Uyghurs, representatives of the so-called “East Turkestan Islamic Movement” (ETIM)*, appeared on the territory of Syria.

The formed "terrorist international" took part in battles against government troops and by 2015 was able to establish control over the province of Idlib. A number of groups received their "allotments", for example, the Uyghurs settled in the area of the city of Jisr al-Shughur, and the Caucasians - the outskirts of Idlib.

The region has become a “promised land” for terrorists from all over the world, who have found in Idlib a safe haven and a springboard for planning attacks around the world. In the fall of 2024, it was these formations, as the most motivated, that took part in the offensive on Aleppo, which ended with the fall of the city, and subsequently the collapse of the government of Bashar al-Assad.

IN A NEW ROLE
The "revolutionary" government of Syria has praised the role of foreign formations, granting all foreign fighters Syrian citizenship and effectively legalizing their status.

Now the former “exiles” have become full-fledged citizens, and, what’s more, 100% loyal to the new regime.

The exact number of foreign fighters is unknown. According to Tajik authorities in 2024, there were about 400 Tajik citizens in the Syrian province of Idlib. The total number of "insurgents" in the ranks of the new Syrian army, according to various estimates, ranges from 5,000 to 10,000 people.

Former mercenaries received high positions in the new government.

For example, a native of Tajikistan, Saifiddin Tadjiboev, who was wanted in his home country on charges of terrorism and mercenarism, was appointed commander of the operational headquarters in the new government’s Ministry of Defense.

ON THE EVE OF THE MASSACRE
Since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's government, members of ethnic and religious minorities in Syria have lived in constant fear.

The new authorities in Damascus have officially declared that they will not persecute representatives of any community. Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (aka Mohammed Julani) has demonstratively met with heads of Christian churches, promising protection and patronage.

However, already in the first days of the "new Syria" a wave of attacks on churches and representatives of religious minorities swept across the country. Even then, militants of foreign origin distinguished themselves separately, simply ignoring Damascus' calls for religious tolerance and disarmament.

In the following months, it was these same formations that spread across the entire Syrian coast, viewing the region and its inhabitants as fair game.

After the first open clashes broke out, a total mobilization of radicals and their supporters, a kind of "activists", was declared in the neighboring provinces of Hama and Idlib, who were joined by local residents who wanted to rob their Alawite neighbors. However, the backbone of the "cleansing" forces was made up of armed foreigners.

Footage taken by a militant of Chechen origin, commenting on the events in Syria in Russian, is being published online. "There will be no mercy," the author of the videos says, showing footage of terrorist columns being transferred to Latakia. "We continue to clean up," reads the caption to the video of armored vehicles being deployed on the streets of coastal cities.

Over the following days, Regnum correspondents maintained round-the-clock contact with residents of the Syrian coast, receiving information about what was happening first-hand.

This is how residents of the city of Baniyas describe the first night of the pogroms: “Towards evening, the power went out in our neighborhood. Then groups of pogromists began to enter from different sides, they broke into cars, robbed stores, threw stones at windows. They were followed by armed people who went from house to house. They came to our neighbors’ house with a can of paint, they “marked” people, painted their faces black, insulted them, and then left threats and insults on the walls.”

Among the attackers, local residents particularly noted militants with a characteristic Turkic appearance, often not speaking Arabic. According to eyewitnesses, it was they who showed particular cruelty. An audio recording with instructions calling on local residents "loyal" to the government was distributed, calling on them not to go out into the streets. The voice on the recording says that "Uzbek and Chechen mujahideen" do not differentiate between Sunnis and Shiites and kill everyone.

BLOODY MARCH 8TH
By the morning of the second day of the conflict, the regime had managed to concentrate enough forces on the coast to conduct all-out raids. The Islamists were particularly brutal in the Alawite areas outside the Syrian coast, in the provinces of Hama and Homs.

Tellingly, foreign fighters did not hide their participation in the massacre. In the area of the city of Jabla, a group of Uzbek natives was “spotted”, broadcasting live from the scene and streaming in the Uzbek language. The fighters, belonging to the group “Tawhid wal Jihad”*, told their audience that they had come to Latakia “to punish the infidels” and shared their “political program”.

In particular, they propose that the new Syrian authorities "cleanse" the region and populate it with "faithful Muslims." Syrian Christians are offered either to convert to Islam or to pay "jizya" for life - a tax on non-Muslims in Koranic law.

How traditional.

In fact, we are talking about a doctrine of genocide, which provides for the extermination of the indigenous population, followed by its replacement by “faithful” ones.

Convert, pay jizya, or die. Sometimes only the third is on offer.

In order to more actively populate the coast with "faithful" militants from Central Asia took part in the massacre of Alawites in the village of al-Tuwaim in Hama province. In the "final" round, the radicals beat to death about 15 children aged between one and ten years. Some of the residents of Hama were able to hide in the mountains, but now these people are afraid to return to their homes.

"When we heard about the beginning of the conflict, my relatives were able to leave. There were old people left in the village who asked to leave them. We know that they have been killed now. Somewhere in the houses there are bodies that no one has removed because people are afraid to return for a long time. All the men were killed, some women have disappeared, and no one knows where they are," the source told IA Regnum.

DENOUEMENT
By the morning of March 9, the militants had reached the epicenter of the conflict, the city of Jabla, after which another wave of violence swept through the surrounding villages. In one of the videos made in the vicinity of Jabla, the militants filmed a residential building they had set on fire. "Look, the house of the Alawites is burning!" one of the authors of the video says.

Throughout the day, terrorist gangs continued to repeatedly "cleanse" populated areas, often shooting at everyone they encountered without distinction. At the same time, the heads of Syria's Christian churches issued a joint statement calling for an immediate end to the violence. The "world community" also joined the call, albeit belatedly.

Local residents report that a “clean-up” has begun in the cities of Baniyas, Tartus and Latakia: militants are removing corpses from city streets and even washing blood off the asphalt in preparation for the arrival of foreign journalists.

In a separate statement, Ahmed al-Sharaa said the government would set up a "commission" to investigate "incidents of violence" on the coast, but locals were under no illusions.

"We are still afraid to leave our homes now, no one can assess the damage done. Those who survived were left without all their property, others without their families. We will never forget these two terrible days. Now there is a "roll call" in the chats, we are looking for our own. But we know that there will be no justice for the criminals," the Syrians believe.

Events in Syria have vividly confirmed the worst fears about the prospects for a peaceful settlement in that country. But whatever their consequences, it is absolutely clear that terrorist groups operating in Syria pose a threat far beyond its borders, and that their militants may fall victim to far more than just Syrian ethno-confessional minorities.

People from post-Soviet countries who “distinguished themselves” by committing mass murders probably dream of returning to their native lands and repeating the same thing in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and, of course, in Russia.

Of course.

Link

Afghanistan

CHR - New Intel: Sources Report Terrorists in Afghanistan Taking A Page From October 7 Playbook

2024-10-29

[CatherineHerridgeReports] "The system is blinking red," a former special operator said. "No one wants to be in the room when the Afghanistan grenade goes off."

The new reporting underscores concern that terrorist groups, including Al Qaeda, are strengthening their foothold in Afghanistan.

DEEP DIVE
Vice President and now Presidential candidate Kamala Harris once boasted that when President Biden made the final call to pull US troops from Afghanistan she was the last person in the room.

Three years later, a recent UN report left no doubt Al Qaeda is building out its infrastructure in Afghanistan.

The UN monitoring team found, "Al-Qaida cells are operating in multiple Afghan provinces, mainly in the south-east of the country." And "While the Taliban have done much to constrain the activities of Al-Qaida and their affiliates...its reorganization and training activities, as well as new travel into Afghanistan, indicate that the group still uses Afghanistan as a permissive haven under the Taliban, raising questions about Al-Qaida’s intent."

Credible sources now describe footage that suggests small terrorist cells, primarily Al Qaeda, training with ultralights and paragliders in Afghanistan. The sources describe the terrorists as "taking a page from the October 7 playbook" by mirroring the tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) of the 2023 Hamas attack which killed more than 1200 people in Israel.

The raw intelligence and reports also describe operatives trained to build light aircraft and drones from "off the shelf" materials available in large home improvement stores. As described, the idea is not to export equipment from Afghanistan, but to build it once an operative is inserted near the target. These small cells apparently have cooperation from the Taliban who, in some cases, monitor training sessions.

The reporting comes through credible sources and I draw no conclusions about potential contact between al Qaeda and Hamas. As described, the most innocuous analysis is the footage was designed to boost morale among fighters and for fundraising.

Another intelligence stream details that in recent months an Al Qaeda operative traveled from Afghanistan to Saudi Arabia for financing, tasked with developing a weaponized drone capability for use against the US or its interests overseas.

That said, I understand the reporting has been shared at senior levels of the Defense Department, Homeland Security and likely CIA. They have the ability to investigate, to assess the credibility of the reports, and most importantly, they have a duty to warn.

My contacts say there is a sense of urgency among field agents and officers who are aware of the raw intelligence, but there is a "head in the sand" attitude at more senior levels. Multiple sources explained, "No one wants to turn over the Afghanistan rock."

The presence of these camps, and the threats they pose are amplified by the American military hardware that the Biden administration abandoned in Afghanistan. In 2021, reporters were told and the public was reassured that the equipment would fall into disrepair.

This has proven false. Images shared with our team from multiple sectors in Afghanistan suggest every level of the armed forces from police to military are leveraging our ballistic helmets, gloves, boots, optics, body armor and weapons.

By summer, as I pulled the threads on the Afghanistan story, the warnings became more alarming. NGOs and other groups who work with the US-based Afghan community voiced some of the deepest concerns. They were, understandably, reluctant to go on the record, fearing retaliation from the administration.

Intelligence is like a mosaic. Slowly the pieces fall into place. It is a partial picture at best, but it suggests a landscape that is beginning to mirror pre-9/11 Afghanistan. Twenty-three years ago, the safe haven in Afghanistan afforded al Qaeda the freedom to train, to recruit and to raise money for the 2001 terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 Americans.

On Saturday, seeking comment, our team emailed the media contact for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which has oversight for the US intelligence community. When there was no response, and with the Sunday afternoon deadline approaching, we re-upped our questions adding the Defense Department, Homeland Security and CIA.

The DoD duty officer and a CIA spokesperson responded. Both said they could look into our query Monday. Our questions focus on intelligence community efforts to determine credibility of the intel, risk to national security and briefings to congressional committees with oversight, including armed services and intelligence.

One of the most famous chapters in the 9/11 Commission Report is called, "The System was Blinking Red." It contains the painful chronology and missed opportunities to disrupt the 9/11 hijackers in the summer of 2001.

"As (CIA Director) Tenet told us, ’The system was blinking red in the Summer of 2001.’ Officials were alerted across the world. Many were doing everything they possibly could to respond to the threats. Yet no one working on these late leads in the Summer of 2001 connected the case in his or her in-box to the threat reports agitating senior officials and being briefed to the President.."

Twenty-three years later, the warnings are there. Political sensitivities should not hinder efforts to acknowledge and disrupt emerging threats in Afghanistan.

The article below, published in 8am (Hasht-e Subh Daily), has been sitting, half-edited, for a while because I’ve been too busy with life to finish the job — and at roughly 3000 words it was easy to push off to later. But it relates to Joe of the Jungle’s submission so it’s time to share under his headline, even without doing all the work I intended. The acquisition was triggered by a Media Line piece linked by Grom the Reflective in September in comments:

Hamza bin Laden’s return: Al-Qaida’s revival in Afghanistan sparks global terror fears: Terror group leader's survival and resurgence could signify al-Qaida’s most significant revival since the Iraq War, leading to worry across the world.

Herewith the opening of the piece — the rest can be read at the link.

The Taliban Host Terrorist Groups: Four New Settlements Built for Al-Qaeda and TTP
30.June 2024
The Hasht-e Subh Daily has obtained information indicating that the Taliban are constructing a well-equipped base with residential houses for the al-Qaeda network in the Malekuddin area of Nawa district, Ghazni province. Additionally, they are building three settlements for the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the Dasht-e Bagh-e Attar area of Qarabagh district, Dasht-e Kabuli area of Waghaz district, and Kotal-e Rouza on the outskirts of Ghazni city. These settlements, in addition to residential houses, also include large religious schools and equipped dormitories, with some nearing completion.

Simultaneously, TTP members have chosen specific areas in Ghazni for relocating their families, with plans to move there soon. One of the TTP factions relocating to Ghazni is led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a TTP commander who has carried out extensive attacks against the Pakistani military. Furthermore, the findings of this report indicate that Haji Furqan (Uighur), a commander of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and a senior member of al-Qaeda, is residing in a guesthouse of Sirajuddin Haqqani in the Sherpur area of Kabul.

The findings from the Hasht-e Subh Daily in Ghazni province show that the Taliban are engaged in constructing four residential settlements with large religious schools and other security measures for the relocation of al-Qaeda and TTP members. According to the report, the construction of some of these settlements and religious schools in Ghazni is nearing completion. Information suggests that a settlement with a Madrasa in the Nawa district of Ghazni is being built for al-Qaeda, while the other three settlements are exclusively for TTP members and will soon be operational. The report also indicates that alongside the residential settlements, the Taliban have constructed large religious school buildings with all amenities, funded by the Haqqani network.

Link

Afghanistan

Heaven of Foreign Militants: The Taliban Are Extensively Hosting Extremist Groups

2023-09-10

[8am] The Doha Agreement obligated the Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
to cut their connections with regional and international terrorist groups. Despite this commitment, with the Taliban’s return to power, concerns have been raised by the United Nations
...where theory meets practice and practice loses...
Security Council, United States, Russia, China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and other security bodies regarding the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan. A report from the Hasht-e Subh Daily, two years after the Taliban’s resurgence, reveals that a considerable number of regional jihadists, along with their families, are actively operating within Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

These findings indicate that approximately 300 families linked to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Ansarullah of Tajikistan have settled in the northeastern region, particularly in Badakhshan province. Reliable sources in eastern Afghanistan further verify that thousands of families associated with Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) murderous Moslems are currently residing under Taliban governance. Moreover, East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) fighters, despite China’s backing of the Taliban, are capitalizing on the benefits of their presence in Afghanistan. Many of these murderous Moslems maintain ties not only with the Taliban but also with al-Qaeda.

Moreover, the Taliban not only incorporate certain jihadists into their own ranks but also furnish them with Afghan identification documents and passports, dispersing them across different regions of the nation. Intriguingly, these murderous Moslems have also formed familial connections with Afghan households to strengthen their foothold under Taliban governance in Afghanistan.

UNVEILING AL-QAEDA: THE PRESENCE EXPOSED BY AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI
One of the groups that causes widespread concern among many countries is al-Qaeda, which they believe should not be present in Afghanistan. The Doha Agreement directly addresses this issue, with the United States securing a commitment from the Taliban to sever ties with this group. However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
the death of Ayman al-Zawahiri
...Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as the real brains of the outfit. Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area assuming he's not dead like Mullah Omar. He lost major face when he ordered the nascent Islamic State to cease and desist and merge with the orthodox al-Qaeda spring, al-Nusra...
in Afghanistan exposed a remarkably close relationship between the Taliban and al-Qaeda—one that not even the Doha Agreement managed to break. Even prior to al-Zawahiri’s demise, suspicions lingered about the Taliban’s intentions. The United Nations Security Council repeatedly asserted that the Taliban maintained connections with al-Qaeda hard boys. During that time, reports indicated that al-Qaeda operated in 15 provinces across Afghanistan. al-Qaeda members usually assumed a secondary role in battles alongside the Taliban, primarily focusing on offering guidance and training. Now, with the Taliban’s resurgence to power, this group’s members are inclined to rejuvenate their network and leverage the Taliban’s rule.

Zawahiri’s Letter to bin Laden, discussed in the Hasht-e Subh Daily during the reexamination of the Abbottabad
... A pleasant city located only 30 convenient miles from Islamabad. The city is noted for its nice weather and good schools. It is the site of Pakistain's military academy, which was within comfortable walking distance of the residence of the late Osama bin Laden....
case, indicates that al-Qaeda does not intend to leave the Afghan geographical sphere under any circumstances. In the letter, Zawahiri states that al-Qaeda must remain close to the Taliban leadership and work on building trust. Conversely, the letter also demonstrates the commitment of the Taliban leadership to preserve and support al-Qaeda. While the undeniable presence of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan is evident, determining the exact number of individuals in this network remains challenging. The Taliban even deny the presence of a single al-Qaeda member and have made significant efforts to conceal the identities of these individuals.

However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
the National Directorate of Security
...the Afghan national intel agency...
(NDS) of the previous government recently reported that around 300 al-Qaeda members are fighting alongside the Taliban in their conflict. The UN Security Council Sanctions Committee, on the other hand, has cited estimates ranging from 400 to 600 hard boys. Despite the Taliban’s concerted efforts over the years, particularly in the past two years, to avoid exposing the identities and locations of al-Qaeda members, their active presence within the Taliban’s structures as advisors is a detail that the Taliban cannot conceal.

TTP AND SANCTUARIES ON THIS SIDE OF THE BORDER
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) is also one of the murderous Moslem groups aligned with the Taliban. These two groups share a deep bond, and their recent activities have demonstrated that both, adhering to a common ideology, have been collaborating against the republic system. In the past, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) provided refuge to the Afghan Taliban, but now the hosting role has shifted to the Afghan Taliban. Among all jihadist groups worldwide, they are the sole entity with territorial control. Alongside their close interaction and alignment with the Taliban, the Pak government has repeatedly urged the Taliban to deny sanctuary to the TTP within Afghan soil. In response, the Taliban asserts that no foreign jihadist group has a place in Afghanistan and poses no threat to other countries.

However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
the findings of the Hasht-e Subh Daily indicate that around 10,000 Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) murderous Moslems are present in Afghanistan with their families. Most of these hard boys, along with their families, reside in the districts of Goshta, Bati Kot, and Lal Pur in Nangarhar
The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country..
province; areas close to the Durand Line, which provide convenient movement for TTP. According to local sources, while many TTP murderous Moslems have been in these areas, particularly in the Salalah region, for several years, their numbers have increased after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. Sources state that TTP murderous Moslems and their families are present in regions like Salalah, Mama Khel, Ziarat-e Dagh, Zharai, and Ograi of the Goshta district, where they fulfill their basic needs from the markets of the Goshta district.

Most of these hard boys, who are also believed to be part of the Taliban’s reserve forces, have traveled from Lal Pur district in Nangarhar to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistain to wage war against the Pak government. An informed source, who prefers anonymity in the report, told the Hasht-e Subh Daily: "Many of them have gone from Lal Pur mainly to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. I know a commander who recently went with 30 individuals. The commander is known as Naaser, with the pseudonym Qahraman, he is for the Spin Tankai area in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Other commanders are named Bismillah and Enayatullah. Another one is known as Mullah Piran, originally from Swat, who is currently residing in Kashkot and Gaurik areas. Now the Emirates (Afghan Taliban) members also take the TTP’s seal of approval and head to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, claiming to wage jihad. This was a statement from a TTP commander who was saying that the Afghan Taliban have declared jihad against Pakistain."

On January 4, 2023, Pakistain conducted an aerial attack on the Salala area, but its Foreign Ministry denied responsibility. However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
local sources and non-governmental individuals in the Goshta district confirm Pakistain’s ~~Arclight~~ airstrike
...KABOOM!...
s on the positions of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP). According to them, the attack took place in an area where families of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) were residing. Local sources stated that after the bombing, flames and smoke were observed in the region. The exact casualties of this event were not publicly disclosed, as the Taliban warned people not to discuss the matter among themselves. A source informed the Hasht-e Subh Daily, "No one can raise their voice out of fear, and [people] don’t talk about it among themselves."

Nonetheless, a recorded audio tape came into the possession of the Hasht-e Subh Daily in which members of the Taliban discuss the attack on TTP positions in the Arazi bazaar. The United Nations Security Council also confirmed the presence of TTP murderous Moslems on Afghan soil in a report. The monitoring committee of the UN Security Council referred to the TTP as the "largest constituent" of the Taliban. According to the report, the TTP has between 3,000 to 4,000 murderous Moslems in Afghanistan. The report identifies Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud as the current leader of the TTP and based on that, the TTP has become stronger and can pose a bigger threat in the region. However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
Fazal Ur Rehman Khattak, the leader of the National Awami Party (NAP), in a conversation with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, regards the TTP as an inseparable part of the Afghan Taliban. He states, "The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) is an inseparable part of the Afghan Taliban. This organizational distinction between them required intelligence games so that the international community would not see their bases within Pakistain as the Afghan Taliban’s region. Like before, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) exists in Afghanistan." Khattak also confirms the presence of thousands of TTP murderous Moslems in Afghanistan, saying, "Regarding their numbers, it’s difficult to be certain, but their count is not less than a few thousand." Last year, this Pak politician mentioned in a special interview with the Hasht-e Subh Daily that most ISIS members are murderous Moslems of the TTP. Meanwhile,
...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache...
Rahmatullah Nabil, the former head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) of Afghanistan, mentioned the presence of TTP murderous Moslems in Afghanistan in his speech at the Herat
...a venerable old Persian-speaking city in western Afghanistan, populated mostly by Tadjiks, which is why it's not as blood-soaked as areas controlled by Pashtuns...
Security Conference which was held in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. In his speech, Mr. Nabil stated: "Currently, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP), under the leadership of Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, are active along the Durand Line, with six to six and a half thousand hard boys."

NORTHERN AFGHANISTAN: BASE OF OPERATIONS FOR TAJIK AND UZBEK MILITANTS
The presence of Central Asian murderous Moslems in the northern part of the country was a contentious issue in the former government. Security sources claimed the presence of dozens of foreign murderous Moslem groups in Badakhshan province. At that time, the Khostak Valley in the Jurm District of Badakhshan province hosted around 300 Central Asian hard boy families. However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
after the collapse of the Republic system, most of these foreign groups redirected toward the central parts of districts and cities in the northeastern region of Afghanistan. A source informed the Hasht-e Subh Daily, "During the Republic regime, [foreign hard boys] were here in Khostak, and now they’ve all moved down to the valley. The majority of their families have gone to the province of Takhār. Another group has gone to the forests of Imam Sahib district in Kunduz province. About 20 to 30 families have gone to Baharak district. A few families are located in Fayzabad City. Five families have gone to Jurm District. Similarly, they’ve moved away from the Khostak Valley because no one is dealing with them, so they’re not causing any disturbances. They operate freely and conduct their activities normally. Another group of them has gone to Kalafgan District in Balkh province."

Meanwhile,
...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache...
according to another informed source from Badakhshan province, the number of foreign murderous Moslems present in the Ragh district of Badakhshan province, along with their families, amounts to around 200 to 250 individuals. This source states that the conditions for living and operations have been established for these groups in various districts and urban centers, and as a result, they are attempting to spread out across different densely populated areas. The source adds, "The number of foreign murderous Moslems in Ragh has reached around 200 individuals. They are Tajiks, they are Uzbeks. Khostak Valley used to be their center, but now they have dispersed; they have come to the district of Raghistan, and they are seeking refuge. Some of them have gone to the Imam Sahib district in Kunduz province with their families. They are also present in Fayzabad city. A group of them is in the Maimay area too."

Another source confirmed to the Hasht-e Subh Daily that a significant number of these groups have received support from the Taliban and have established family ties. This source adds, "Most of them have obtained Afghan identity cards with the help of the Taliban. Several Tajiks [Tajikistani hard boys] have obtained ID cards in Fayzabad City. A number of them have obtained ID cards in various districts." The source states that around 20 families of Tajikistani Taliban members are living in three villages in the Ragh district. The source elaborates, "Two families among them have married locally, giving and taking daughters of each other. They are living in areas like Sefidab, Dahn Shala, and Khonilar. Similarly, they have dispersed across various areas of Badakhshan province. They have a strong interest in Ragh district due to its gold resources. These people [foreign hard boys] possess resources and capital. Their true intentions and plans remain unknown. The situation is quite complex." The source further revealed, "Before the fall of Badakhshan province to the hands of the Taliban, the center of foreign murderous Moslems was in Khostak valley. A person named Gul Heidar Shafaq has conducted major coordination. Another person named Abdul Rahim is involved. These two Tajiks have plans in this region, but it’s unclear what they are doing."

Referring to the killing of a commander from the Tajikistan border forces at the Afghanistan border, a source states, "A group of them, who were in Maimay, around 6 to 8 individuals, intended to intimidate the Tajiks, transfer their substances [drugs], and monitor the situation. They went for sabotage but clashed with Tajik security forces, resulting in the death of two and the return of four. Foreign murderous Moslems who were in Badakhshan province have mostly gone to Imam Sahib district in Kunduz province, where they have established training centers. Their number exceeds a thousand. They have centralized their operations there, focusing on training and procuring military equipment. It appears significant plans have been laid for Central Asia, but no one dares to voice concern."

Another source tells the Hasht-e Subh Daily that those families of foreign murderous Moslems who have come to Faizabad City, the center of Badakhshan province, live in the area close to the "former national army recruitment center". Additionally, according to the source, foreign murderous Moslems who previously collaborated with the Taliban against former security forces are now in command of the former National Army recruitment center. The source adds, "Foreigners have their base in the same recruitment and mobilization center. Foreign groups that were with the Taliban, of them are now in the former recruitment and mobilization center. They have a very limited presence within the city. They go out during the evening and night." The source further states that some families of foreign murderous Moslems in Badakhshan province are involved in arms trading and gold mining activities.

Meanwhile,
...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache...
one of the residents of Badakhshan province has shared his observation with the Hasht-e Subh Daily regarding the presence of foreign murderous Moslems in Kunduz province. They report seeing individuals who cannot speak languages like Persian, Pashto, Uzbek, and Turkmen. According to this source, "It was a few months after the fall [of the previous government]. Our vehicle’s diesel pump was broken. They had just opened a square in the city of Kunduz. There was an automobile repair shop nearby. There were two vehicles packed with individuals. One of their vehicles was broken, so they took it inside the shop. They had a model of a fielder vehicle without a license plate with Left Hand Traffic (LHT). They were dressed in white clothes and wearing handmade traditional skullcaps. They were speaking among themselves, and we couldn’t comprehend. I think they might have been Uighur or Kazakh because they sounded similar to Russian or Kazakh. They had long beards, and their hair was machine-cut. They resembled local Turkmen, but they weren’t Turkmen because it was clear they had no familiarity with the people or the region. Everyone was saying that these are foreign Taliban."

Simultaneously, sources in Badakhshan province reveal that most of the Tajikistani murderous Moslems have gone to the forests of the Imam Sahib district, where they are engaged in training and planning. An informed source estimates the number of Tajik murderous Moslems in this district to be around 30. According to them, the Taliban use these individuals as a means of pressuring Tajikistan. The source adds, "Their number is not more than 30. They have a couple of tanks. Some days, they go to Shir Khan Bandar with the Taliban. There, they showcase themselves to the Tajik trucks passing through the border. They engage in fishing in the Shir Khan Bandar River. Everyone knows them there because they are well-armed and possess American weapons. Tajiks believe they can conquer their country in a day. The Taliban employ them for psychological warfare and pressuring the Tajiks."

A former government official with an in-depth understanding of the northeastern region of the country also informed the Hasht-e Subh Daily that all jihadist groups, including ISIS, Ansar Allah, and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), are active in northern provinces, particularly the provinces of Badakhshan, Kunduz, Takhar, Balkh, and Sar-e Pol. They added, "Under the Taliban’s protection, they have bases in Imam Sahib district of Kunduz province in Spin Zar housing schemes, Shah Ron area, and other locations."

Regarding the presence of leaders from ISIS, Ansar Allah, and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the source stated, "Sheikh Abdul Haq Uighuri, responsible for the military network of ISIS, and Mullah Ibraheem, head of Ansar Allah hard boy group have military bases in Baghlan province. Furqan (one of their commanders) lives in the house of Commander Gul Ahmad in the vicinity of Central Silo in the city of Pul-e Khumri, the center of the province."

Meanwhile,
...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache...
Rahmatullah Nabil, the former head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) of the former government of Afghanistan, stated that the Tajikistan Ansar Allah group, Jundallah
..."Soldiers of God," a name used by ~~two~~ multiple separate terror outfits, one active in Iran and the other in Pakistain. Both are Sunni organizations that target Shiites. The Pak version has close relations with al-Qaeda and the Pak Talibs and is probably a false nose and mustache for Lashkar-e-Jhangvi...
group, and the Islamic Jihad
...created after many members of the Egyptian Moslem Brotherhood decided the organization was becoming too moderate. Operations were conducted out of Egypt until 1981 when the group was exiled after the assassination of President Anwar Sadat. They worked out of Gaza until they were exiled to Lebanon in 1987, where they clove tightly to Hezbollah. In 1989 they moved to Damascus, where they remain a subsidiary of Hezbollah...
group led by Alim Beg Mohammadov and the Tajik Taliban led by Mehdi Arsalan/Mohammad Sharifov are also present in northeastern Afghanistan, with around 200 to 300 hard boys. Informed and local sources in Badakhshan province also confirm the number of murderous Moslems in these groups and state that they are mainly stationed in border areas with Tajikistan.

THE PRESENCE OF THE EAST TURKESTAN ISLAMIC MOVEMENT (ETIM) IN AFGHANISTAN
According to the findings of the Hasht-e Subh Daily, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is also actively present in Afghanistan. Haji Furqan, the overall commander of the military fronts of this group, spends most of his time in Faizabad City, the center of Badakhshan province. Informed and reliable sources confirm to the Hasht-e Subh Daily that this member of the leadership of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is currently residing in Faizabad city and his security is ensured by the Taliban. He has married in Badakhshan province and has acquired a forged identity and passport. This matter has also been confirmed by the United Nations Security Council’s monitoring committee report. The United Nations report states that Badakhshan province serves as the main base for this group. An individual named Abdul Haq al-Turkistani is responsible for leading this group.

Sources continue to confirm that this group is currently rebuilding its strongholds in the Wurduj district of Badakhshan province. A source tells the Hasht-e Subh Daily: "They have occupied the area and are reinforcing their strongholds. They control the region entirely." The United Nations Security Council’s monitoring committee report also states that this group has reconstructed several strongholds in Badakhshan province and expanded its operational area. According to the report, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) has clandestinely procured arms to enhance its military capabilities.

Meanwhile,
...back at the barn, Bossy's udder had begun to ache...
Rahmatullah Nabil, the former head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) of the former government of Afghanistan, estimates the number of murderous Moslems in the Turkestan Islamic Party

...... Uighur jihadi group based in Badakshan, Afghanistan and listed under Tehrik-e-Taliban in the Al Qaeda organization table. Their Syria subsidiary currently reports to Al Nusra in the Idlib-Latakia region, where the Russians and Americans have been taking turns shooting them — they’re on their third Number 1 in three years......
(TIP/ETIM) to be around 700 to 800 individuals. Mr. Nabil has stated that the Uighur murderous Moslems are led by Haji Furqan and Sheikh Abuzar, who are mostly active in the northern and northeastern regions of the country. Mr. Nabil also mentions that this group is active in the provinces of Badghis and Ghor, with an estimated 100 to 150 hard boys.

According to the United Nations Security Council’s Monitoring Committee report, it has been mentioned that this group is actively engaged in exchanging military experiences and manufacturing kabooms in collaboration with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) and Ansarullah group. The Security Council’s report states that the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is focusing its attacks on China’s interests in Afghanistan. The East Turkestan Islamic Movement’s (ETIM) primary goal is to establish an independent Islamic state for Uighurs in China and other Turkic-speaking groups in East China and Central Asia. While this group was previously listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, Washington removed it from the list last year.

Sources speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily claim that Haji Furqan is between 65 to 70 years old. One source states: "[Haji Furqan] mostly resembles Afghan Turkmens. He has a long beard, and a strong build, and is considered a religious scholar. He possesses eloquence and fluency, speaking fluent Persian. His preaching has had a significant impact in the areas he has operated in, attracting a larger following. The Taliban hold him in high respect. He has also trained the Taliban in using mines, explosives, and tanks during their fight against the former Afghan government."

Another source, speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, stated that Haji Furqan spent most of his time during the Republic era in the village of "Keyu" in the Jurm district, near the Khostak and Warduj valleys. This source added, "During the Republic era, Haji Furqan was a primary financial supporter of Qari Fasihuddin [the chief of staff of the armed forces of the Taliban]. To the extent that Furqan gave money to the Taliban in Badakhshan province, the Taliban themselves [the Taliban regime] did not provide financial assistance." This source mentioned, "Furqan is currently on the move. He is mostly in Fayzabad. He has a close relationship with a drug smuggler and the third-ranking member of the Taliban in this province, and he spends most of his time at his house. He has taken a wife and established personal connections."
Furthermore, this source mentions another Taliban member who monitors the security situation of Haji Furqan, but due to security issues, the name of this Taliban member is not disclosed.

It is noteworthy that according to the claims of sources, Haji Furqan has also been involved in the Kharooq uprisings in Tajikistan’s Badakhshan province. According to one source, some members of this group operate under different aliases in a secretive manner in Tajikistan, and their financial resources are provided by drug smugglers. It is mentioned that Haji Furqan has spent some time with the al-Qaeda network and currently maintains close ties with that network as well. However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
the Hasht-e Subh Daily cannot independently confirm Haji Furqan’s role in the Kharooq uprisings in Tajikistan’s Badakhshan province.

Members of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) have also attempted to establish familial ties in Afghanistan. Some members of this group have obtained Afghan identity cards and passports with the help of the Taliban. The United Nations Security Council report states that this group seeks to establish a presence in Afghanistan through various methods, including marriage, acquiring identities through fraudulent documents, and portraying their members as Afghan residents.

Earlier, Ramazon Rahimzoda, the Interior Minister of Tajikistan, had stated that the Taliban had distributed passports to around 3,000 members of "terrorist groups." He added that terrorist groups in northern Afghanistan are located near the Tajikistan border. Rahimzoda also asserted that over 20 terrorist groups are active in Afghanistan.

Previously, the Taliban have repeatedly declared that they have severed ties with terrorist groups in the region and denied the presence of ISIS in Afghanistan. This group, which interacts with regional countries, has also provided written assurances to China that it will not support the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and other groups opposing the government of China in Afghanistan. However,
a hangover is the wrath of grapes...
it is noteworthy that the leadership members of this group (ETIM) in northeastern Afghanistan receive protection and identity documents under the stringent security management of the Taliban. Rahmatullah Nabil has also confirmed that foreign terrorist groups, due to their deep and ideological connections with the Taliban, have obtained Afghan identities and have settled in various parts of the country under different names.

It should be noted that alongside the United States, China, Pakistain, and Central Asian countries, Russia has also expressed serious concerns about the infiltration of murderous Moslem groups in Central Asia. Although Vladimir Putin
...President-for-Life of Russia. He gets along well with other presidents for life. He is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substance. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to him. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substances...
, the President of Russia, handed over the Afghan embassy in Moscow to the Taliban, he has issued warnings about the presence of terror groups in Afghanistan. He stated that these terrorist groups pose a threat to the stability and security of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. It remains unclear how long these concerns will persist, but documents and evidence indicate that the relationship between the Taliban and regional and global jihadist groups is not conclusively terminated. It appears that in any case, the group will either protect them within their structures or under their support.

Link

Afghanistan

Resurgence and Realities: Afghanistan’s Shifting Terror Threats

2023-08-27

Key bits:

[GeopoliticalMonitor] As the world observed the second anniversary of the Taliban
Taliban

...Arabic for students...
’s takeover of Afghanistan on August 15th, attention has shifted to the changing landscape of terrorism in the region. The two years since Kabul’s fall have raised concerns about the impact on regional stability and security. A complex picture of resurgent murderous Moslem groups, human rights
...which are usually open to widely divergent definitions...
abuses, and geopolitical challenges with Afghanistan’s de facto rulers has emerged.

President Biden recently claimed that al-Qaeda is no longer in Afghanistan and that the Taliban is aiding the US in countering terrorism. However,
there's no worse danger than telling a mother her baby is ugly...
the situation on the ground doesn’t seem to align with this assertion. Biden’s sentiment was echoed by US diplomats following their first official meeting with Taliban representatives in July this year. While the US State Department acknowledged decreased large-scale attacks in Afghanistan, supporting the Taliban’s counterterrorism efforts may be overlooking broader transnational threats.

THE PERCEPTION OF SECURITY IN AFGHANISTAN
The Taliban’s military victory in Afghanistan has emboldened various Death Eater groups in the region, many of which were displaced before 2021. This triumph has granted these groups the freedom to move across the region with complete impunity. According to a report from the UN Sanctions Monitoring Team, al-Qaeda remains active in Afghanistan with an estimated strength of 2,000 fighters, albeit with a discreet presence. In a display of solidarity with al-Qaeda, the Taliban has assigned al-Qaeda members to important administrative and military positions. Notably, Qari Esanhanullah and Agha Hakeem, both al-Qaeda veterans, have been made governors of crucial eastern provinces—Kapisa and Nuristan, respectively. The most disconcerting appointment is that of Tajmir Jawad Hafizallah, who now serves as the Deputy Chief of the Taliban’s Intelligence wing, GDI. Hafizallah’s association with the infamous Kabul Attack Group, a joint special-operations unit led by al-Qaeda and the Haqqani Network with support from Pakistain’s Inter-Services Intelligence
...the Pak military intelligence agency that controls the military -- heads of ISI typically get promoted into the Chief of Army Staff position. It serves as a general command center for favored turban groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, tries to influence the politix of neighboring countries, and carries out a (usually) low-level war against India in Kashmir...
, is a cause for concern. This elevation alone should prompt the Biden administration to reconsider its stance on Afghanistan.

Similarly, the Afghan branch of the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(ISKP) maintains a significant presence in various pockets of Afghanistan’s eastern and northeastern provinces. Established in 2015, this group is notorious for executing large-scale, intricate attacks in urban areas. Their targets encompass religious and ethnic minorities, as well as high-profile Taliban officials. As seen in the targeting of a senior Taliban leader’s funeral service in the northern province of Badakhshan, which resulted in over 30 casualties, including a provincial police chief.

In addition to countering ISKP, the Taliban also contends with resistance forces within Afghanistan. Recently, groups like the National Resistance® Force and the Afghanistan Freedom Front have substantially escalated their operations. Their focus has been on targeting the Taliban’s military infrastructure and eliminating senior Taliban commanders. Despite lacking the necessary operational capabilities to pose a grave threat to the Taliban regime, these groups persist in challenging the Taliban’s narrative of a peaceful Afghanistan.

REGIONAL THREAT LANDSCAPE
Following the fall of Kabul, Pakistain has experienced a notable surge in attacks, primarily attributed to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP), an offshoot of the Taliban. TTP’s operational capabilities have been significantly enhanced and the group has established new support bases as evidenced by attacks extending beyond their traditional strongholds, such as the recent assault on a military garrison in Zhob, Balochistan
...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it...
Province. Moreover, the TTP has successfully united more than 35 fragmented groups and smaller terrorist entities allowing it to diversify targets and escalate kinetic activities within a short timeframe. Despite Taliban disavowals of harboring terrorists, substantial evidence points to the Taliban’s influence over the TTP, including facilitating the movement of TTP leaders across borders. Notably, several senior TTP commanders, starting with the killing of Omar Khorasani, the criminal mastermind behind the 2014 Beautiful Downtown Peshawar
...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistain's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire...
Army School Attack, have been killed under mysterious circumstances inside Afghanistan. Additionally, TTP Chief Noor Wali Mehsood made a narrow escape during an attack in Nangarhar
The unfortunate Afghan province located adjacent to Mohmand, Kurram, and Khyber Agencies. The capital is Jalalabad. The province was the fief of Younus Khalis after the Soviets departed and one of his sons is the current provincial Taliban commander. Nangarhar is Haqqani country..
province in Afghanistan where he was meeting with the Taliban’s provincial council. The presence of high-ranking TTP operatives in eastern and southeastern Afghanistan sheds light on the Taliban’s connection to the TTP and reveals the TTP’s restructuring with ambitions mirroring the Taliban’s success in Kabul. Concurrently, while the Afghan Taliban’s primary adversary remains the Islamic State’s Afghan affiliate (ISKP), the latter has shifted its focus towards Pakistain. This strategic shift is evident in the escalation of attacks on civilians, as evident in the tragic suicide kaboom in Bajaur district of northwestern Pakistain resulting in over 50 casualties.

Beyond Pakistain, other transnational terrorist groups in Central and South Asia have similarly restructured their ranks and revitalized their operational capacities. A UN report from July highlights that East Turkestan Islamic Movement, a Uighur Death Eater group aspiring to gain control over Xinjiang province in China, has established bases across northern and northeastern Afghanistan. Furthermore, the Taliban has facilitated the transfer of Uighur gunnies from Chinese border areas to different Afghan provinces for training, indicating renewed alliances between the Taliban and various al-Qaeda-affiliated entities. The Afghan Taliban has also relocated more than 200 Tajik gunnies from the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jamaat Ansarullah (JAU) group in Tajikistan to Afghanistan. Additionally, foreign Tajik fighters from JAU have been incorporated into the Afghan Taliban’s ranks.

Link

Afghanistan

Islamic Emirate Rejects USIP Report Claiming Terrorists in Afghanistan

2022-09-03

[ToloNews] The Islamic Emirate denied the assessment of the US Institute of Peace that says the "Taliban
Taliban

...mindless ferocity in a turban...
" has continued "to harbor a range of terrorist groups that endanger their neighbors."

According to USIP, the "Taliban" has given sanctuary to "the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP), which threatens Pakistain; the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which threatens China; the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, which threatens Uzbekistan; and ISIS-Khorasan Province, which threatens everyone (including the Taliban)."

But a front man for the Islamic Emirate stressed that the Afghan soil will not be used against any country.

"The Islamic Emirate does not allow anyone to threaten other countries from Afghan soil. Such allegations made in this regard are not true. Unfortunately, such allegations are published without evidence or proof. It is based on inaccurate information and propaganda," said Bilal Karimi, deputy front man for the Islamic Emirate.

According to USIP, one year after the Islamic Emirate came to power, Afghanistan's neighbors in the region are coming to grips "with the reality that they now own a greater share of Afghanistan’s problems and the Taliban realize that neither recognition nor financial aid are going to come from the region easily."

The analysts give various opinions on the matter:

"The neighbors of Afghanistan are concerned and the neighbors of Afghanistan want the recognition of Afghanistan because Afghanistan then would be obliged to follow up with some international conventions. This could not be solved only via some verbal assurances by Kabul," said Torek Farhadi, a political analyst.

"If the neighbors really have concerns regarding Afghanistan, they should recognize Afghanistan,, so their concerns could be addressed," said Janat Fahim Chakari, an international relations analyst.

The assessment said that the regional powers, particularly Iran, Russia and China, were happy to see US and NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It's headquartered in Belgium. That sez it all....
troops go but are not in a position to replace the massive amounts of development assistance.

Link

Afghanistan

Why Islamic State could spoil the Chinese party in Afghanistan

2021-10-23

[OneIndia] The Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
has been looking to make Afghanistan its stronghold. It even launched the Islamic State Khorasan Province and has so far shown that it can be very lethal.

While it has carried out a series of attacks in the past years, since the Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
took over it carried out three strikes which are deadly in nature. This month alone saw two high profile attacks against the Shiite Moslems who had gathered for Friday prayers in the cities of Kunduz and Kandahar. Prior to this the ISKP had carried out a lethal suicide kaboom at the Kabul airport just days after the US withdrew in August.

The ISIS since its inception has exploited divisions in the regions. It has recruited disgruntled elements from the Taliban and the Tehrik-e-Taliban as well. While the outfit does pose a big threat, a worry lies ahead for China, which is looking to expand its footprint in the Afghan region.

The ISKP is likely to take advantage of the situation where the Uyghur Moslems are concerned. It would look to recruit more and more Uyghurs and this would pose a threat to China.

The ISIS would also take advantage of the fact that the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) has been removed from the Terrorist Exclusion List by the US. The US justified the decision by stating that the ETIM does not exist any longer.

Further the ISKP would also look to the Uyghur group called the Turkestan Islamic Party

...a Uighur jihadi group based in Badakshan, Afghanistan and listed under Tehrik-e-Taliban in the Al Qaeda organization table. Their Syrian subsidiary currently reports to Al Nusra in the Idlib-Latakia region, where the Russians and Americans have been taking turns shooting them — they’re on their third Number 1 in three years...
which is active in Syria and Afghanistan.

While these groups have tilted more towards the al-Qaeda in the past, their loyalties are fast moving towards the Islamic State. If this scenario were to occur, the group would pose a major threat to Chinese interests as well as the Taliban.

Among the several nations, China has been the most supportive of the Taliban. It is a well known fact that the ISKP and Taliban are at logger heads. The Taliban has openly urged China to invest in Afghanistan and if this were to take place, then the ISKP would look to hit along with the Uyghur Moslems who have posed trouble to China.

Further there is plenty of turmoil within the Taliban. It is never clear whether the Taliban would continue to fight as a united front considering their differences with the Haqqani Network. All these events would provide the perfect fodder for the ISKP which has been known to make use of the differences in a region and carry out attacks.

Considering that the Taliban is not a united front, it would find it hard to control both the ISKP and ETIM which will pose a large risk to China.

Link

Afghanistan

Qureshi Says Taliban Will Keep Daesh Out of Afghanistan: Media

2021-08-02

[ToloNews] Pakistain’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Wormtongue Qureshi
...a Pak political shape-changer. He is undistinguished except for his habit of periodically needing to have his lips reattached...
said during a presser that the Afghan Taliban
Taliban

...Arabic for students...
would not allow ISIS bully boyz to infiltrate Afghanistan, The News reported Sunday.

Qureshi reportedly also said that the Afghan forces had the capacity to combat ISIS in Afghanistan.

The foreign minister also reiterated that peace in Afghanistan was necessary for regional stability, and Pakistain was consulting other countries in the region to ensure the development, prosperity, and uplifting of the war-torn country, according to reports of the presser.

However,
the hip bone's connected to the leg bone...
President Ashraf Ghani
...former chancellor of Kabul University, now president of Afghanistan. Before returning to Afghanistan in 2002 he was a scholar of political science and anthropology. He worked at the World Bank working on international development assistance. As Finance Minister of Afghanistan between July 2002 and December 2004, he led Afghanistan's attempted economic recovery until the Karzais stole all the money...
on Sunday speaking during a "digital cabinet meeting" criticized the Taliban and said: "The Taliban has not changed. They don’t have the will for peace or for development in the country."

"The Taliban allowed the international holy warrior groups into the country," Ghani said.

The Taliban has denied involvement with the international holy warrior groups.

On Thursday, Fawzia Koofi, a member of the peace negotiating team representing the Islamic Theocratic Republic of Afghanistan in the talks with the Taliban, said that the presence of foreign Taliban in the northern regions of Afghanistan, particularly along the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border, is threatening the security of those areas.

She called for swift action to neutralize them.

Meanwhile,
...back at the shootout, Butch shot Black Bart's other gun out of his other hand......
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoyguv warned that Russia will act immediately if there is a threat emanating toward Central Asia from Afghanistan.

Chinese officials have expressed hopes that the Taliban will fight against the "East Turkestan Islamic Movement" (ETIM) Death Eaters.

"Now the activities and movements of foreign bully boyz have increased more than any time before along the border areas and in the strategic locations which have come under Taliban control, unfortunately," said Koofi.

Based on a Radio Azadi report, imported muscle reportedly with ties to Tajik Death Eater groups are present in some districts of Badakshan including Kuf Ab, Shekay, Nusay Maimai and Khawhan.

The Russian defense minister also expressed deep concerns over the movement of ISIS fighters from Syria and Libya to Afghanistan.

"This is the collective responsibility of the international community to jointly combat the East Turkestan Islamic Movement.

...sometimes called the Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP), this Uighur jihadi group is listed under Tehrik-e-Taliban in the Al Qaeda organization table. Based in Badakshan with a second branch in Al Nusra-controlled Idlib-Latakia, Syria, only a rump group remains in China. The Russians and Americans take turns killing off their Syrian emirs — last I heard they were on their third Number 1 in three years...

We hope that the Afghan Taliban draw a clear line to the terror groups and act against them seriously and robustly to remove the barriers," said Zhao Lijian, a front man for the Chinese foreign ministry.

Link

Afghanistan

Foreign Fighters' Presence Increasing in North: Koofi

2021-07-30

[ToloNews] Fawzia Koofi, a member of the peace negotiating team representing the Islamic Theocratic Republic of Afghanistan in the talks with the Taliban
Taliban

...mindless ferocity in a turban...
, on Thursday said that the presence of foreign Taliban in the northern regions of Afghanistan, particularly along the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border, is threatening the security of those areas. She called for swift action to neutralize them.

Meanwhile,
...back at the dirigible, Jack stuck the cigar in his mouth, stepped onto the gantry, and asked Got a light, Mac?

Von Schtinken stopped short, lowering the dagger and trying to control his features.

If you light that thing, Herr Armschtröng, he pointed out, his voice tense, we all die!...
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoyguv warned that Russia will act immediately if there is a threat emanating toward Central Asia from Afghanistan.

Chinese officials have expressed hope that the Taliban will fight against the "East Turkestan Islamic Movement" (ETIM)

holy warriors.

Is that likely?

"Now the activities and movements of foreign turbans have increased more than any time before along the border areas and in the strategic locations which have come under Taliban control, unfortunately," said Koofi.

Based on a Radio Azadi report, imported muscle reportedly with ties to Tajik holy warrior groups are present in some districts of Badakshan including Kuf Ab, Shekay, Nusay Maimai and Khawhan.

"In case there is a threat to our ally, Russia will respond within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization," said Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoyguv. "In the initial step, Russia will use Base-201 in Tajikistan-Afghanistan border," he said.

The Russian defense minister also expressed deep concerns over the movement of ISIS fighters from Syria and Libya to Afghanistan.

"This is the collective responsibility of the international community to jointly combat the East Turkestan Islamic Movement. We hope that the Afghan Taliban draw a clear line to the terror groups and act against them seriously and robustly to remove the barriers," said Zhao Lijian, a front man for the Chinese foreign ministry.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Foreign jihadists launch big attack in northern Latakia

2020-08-05

[PUBLISH.TWITTER]

Foreign jihadists launch big attack in northern #Latakia https://t.co/XTUIs3a5xf #Syria
— Al-Masdar News (@TheArabSource) August 4, 2020

The northern Latakia countryside witnessed a heavy battle on Monday after the foreigner-led Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP)

...formerly the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, this Uighur jihadi group is listed under Tehrik-e-Taliban in the Al Qaeda organization table. Now based in Badakshan, Afghanistan with a second branch in Al Nusra-controlled Idlib-Latakia with a rump group remaining in China. The Russians and Americans take turns killing off their Syrian emirs — they’re on their third Number 1 in three years, so he’s about due to kiss a missile...

attacked the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) positions in the Jabal Turkmen region.

According to a field report from the Latakia Governorate, the Turkestan Islamic Party began their attack on Monday by attempting to infiltrate the Syrian Arab Army’s positions near the mountaintop of Jabal Hassan al-Rai

The jihadist rebels attempted to utilize the dense forest and mountain terrain to overwhelm the Syrian Arab Army troops in the area.

However,
there's no worse danger than telling a mother her baby is ugly...
according to a source in Latakia, the Syrian Arab Army was able to repel the jihadist attack after a fierce battle with the foreigner-led group.

In response to this jihadist attack, the Syrian Arab Army unleashed a big assault on the key town of Kabbani,

...also known as Kbanah, it appears to be one of the few roads that you would need to cross the hilly terrain (logistics!) and try to pinch off another salient (only road and so forth) [thanks for the explanation, magpie!]...

which is currently under the control of the Turkestan Islamic Party.

Since the end of July, the Syrian Arab Army and their allies from the National Defense Forces and Elite Republican Guard have repeatedly targeted the strategic mountaintop town of Kabbani, which has become the Turkestan Islamic Party’s primary stronghold in the Jabal al-Akrad region.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Russian military reveals who was behind attack on Turkish Army in Idlib

2020-05-29

[ALMASDARNEWS] The head of the Russian reconciliation center, Rear Admiral Oleg Zhuravlev, revealed on Wednesday evening that the terrorist group behind the attack on the ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish Army vehicle in Idlib was a foreign jihadist faction that is operating inside the governorate.According to Zhuravlev, the Russian military learned that the terrorist group behind the attack was the Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP).
...the Al Qaeda-linked Uighur jihadi group from western China formerly known as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and other names. It claims to want a caliphate in Xinjiang, and according to China committed 200+ jihadi attacks causing over 600 casualties between 1990 and 2001. In 1998 they moved their headquarters to Kabul under the protection of the Taliban, then after 9/11 moved to North Waziristan under the protection of Pakistan branch of the Taliban (TTP). There is a second branch in Syria, allied with Al Nusra and Turkey. Also, a TIP man sits on Al Qaeda’s executive leadership council, and another is emir of Al Qaeda’s military force in Pakistan’s FATA. This may explain why China feels so strongly about the need to correct the thinking of their countrymen who remained behind...
"According to the information received by the Russian Centre for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties, the holy warriors of the Turkestan Islamic Party were involved in the attack, which activated IEDs during the movement of the ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish military convoy near the ammunition depot of the terrorist group", Zhuravlev said.

Zhuravlev said the roadside kaboom exploded along the M-4 Highway (Aleppo-Latakia Highway) at 10:40 A.M.; he said they were conducting their daily patrol when the earth-shattering kaboom happened.

"One ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish soldier who received multiple shrapnel wounds as a result of the earth-shattering kaboom and was evacuated to ~~The Sick Man of Europe~~ Turkey
<del>The Sick Man of Europe</del> Turkey

<del>The Sick Man of Europe</del> Turkey

...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor...
, died", Zhuravlev went on to say.

He did not reveal how the Russian military obtained this information.

The ~~Ottoman~~ Turkish Ministry of Defense later confirmed the death of their soldier, while adding that another was hospitalized for minor wounds.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Russian warplanes kill several foreign jihadists as Syrian troops attempt to advance to Kabani

2019-11-30

[ALMASDARNEWS] The Russian Air Force unleashed another powerful attack on the northeastern countryside of the Latakia this week, as their warplanes wiped out several sites belonging to the jihadist rebels.

According to an army source, the Russian Air Force carried out more than 30 ~~Arclight~~ airstrike
<del>Arclight</del> airstrike

...KABOOM!...
s between the jihadist strongholds of Jisr al-Shughour, Kabani, and al-Sirmaniyeh.

The source said these Russian airstrikes primarily targeted the bases and hideouts of the foreigner-led Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP),

...the Al Qaeda-linked Uighur jihadi group from western China formerly known as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and other names. It claims to want a caliphate in Xinjiang, and according to China committed 200+ jihadi attacks causing over 600 casualties between 1990 and 2001. In 1998 they moved their headquarters to Kabul under the protection of the Taliban, then after 9/11 moved to North Waziristan under the protection of Pakistan branch of the Taliban (TTP). There is a second branch in Syria, allied with Al Nusra and Turkey. Also, a TIP man sits on Al Qaeda’s executive leadership council, and another is emir of Al Qaeda’s military force in Pakistan’s FATA. This may explain why China feels so strongly about the need to correct the thinking of their countrymen who remained behind...

a terrorist group that is in control of several parts of Latakia, Hama, and Idlib.

At the same time as these Russian strikes, the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) launched a big attack on the southern axis of Kabani in a bid to retake the Zuwayqat Mountains.

A source from the 4th Armored Division told al-Masdar News that their troops were able to secure a small advance, but they have since halted their advance in order to weaken the jihadist defenses with missiles and artillery.

The Kabani axis in northeastern Latakia has proven to be one of the most difficult fronts for the Syrian Army, as the jihadist rebels of the Turkestan Islamic Party and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else
...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State...
(HTS) have concentrated a large portion of their murderous Moslems in this area.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Northern Latakia: Al Nusra ambush fails, Syrian army lobs missiles

2018-11-28

Jihadist rebels suffer heavy casualties in failed special operation in northern Latakia

[AlMasdar] (3:30 P.M.) – For the second time in the last two weeks, the jihadist rebels attempted a special operation to sneak behind the Syrian Arab Army’s (SAA) front-lines and ambush the troops near the Hama-Latakia axis.

Led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham

, the jihadist rebels were attempting to infiltrate the Syrian Army’s lines at the town of Jubb al-Ahmar in order to eliminate another military post near the Hama axis.

However,
denial ain't just a river in Egypt...
the jihadist rebels of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham were spotted by a Syrian Arab Army scout this time, which would allow soldiers at the targeted post to be prepared for the murderous Moslem assault on their positions.

As the jihadist rebels approached the military post, the Syrian Arab Army opened fire on the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham murderous Moslems, eliminating the entire group of infiltrators.

According to a military source in northern Latakia, the Syrian Arab Army lost one soldier during the battle, while the entire jihadist group was neutralized and eliminated.

The source said that since the big jihadist ambush that killed over 20 soldiers last week, they have sent reinforcements to this front and increased the number of scouts along the Latakia-Hama axis.

While often short, these jihadist hit-and-run attacks often prove incredibly deadly for the Syrian military, so they are taking extra precautions to prevent them in the future.

Syrian Army launches powerful attack against jihadists in northern Latakia

[AlMasdar] (10:40 P.M.) – The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) unleashed a powerful assault this evening in the northern countryside of the Latakia Governorate, a military source told al-Masdar News.

According to the source, the Syrian Arab Army launched several surface-to-surface missiles towards the defenses of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and the Turkestan Islamic Party

...a.k.a. Turkistan Islamic Movement (TIM), previously the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the goal of this Uyghur Islamist group is to establish a caliphate in Xinjiang, western China. In the meantime it’s headquartered in north Waziristan, polishing jihadi skillz in partnership with Al Nusra in Syria and the TTP in Pakistan...

in the Turkmen Mountains of northern Latakia.

The source added that the Syrian Arab Army is responding to the jihadist attack that targeted their positions in the Turkmen Mountains.

No further details have been released.

Link

Warning: Undefined property: stdClass::$T in /data/rantburg.com/www/rantburg/pgrecentorg.php on line 132
-12 More