WASHINGTON: The Washington Post has claimed that 25 years after the 9/11 attacks, Afghanistan is once again emerging as a training ground for Al-Qaeda. According to the report, Al-Qaeda has established at least eight new training sites in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power.
It said the Taliban had created an environment in which Al-Qaeda and other militant groups could continue their activities in the country. The Washington Post reported that Al-Qaeda safe havens and training camps were becoming active again in different parts of Afghanistan, while Al-Qaeda and other militant organisations had established a presence in at least 14 of the country’s 34 provinces.
Washington Post in its latest report added that Al-Qaeda was no longer limited to using Afghanistan as a safe haven but was also providing training and advice to other militant groups. It mentioned that Al-Qaeda had provided trainings to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other groups in covert operations and security-related activities.
According to the report, the United Nations has said that Al-Qaeda members in Afghanistan are also training suicide attackers for the TTP. The TTP is estimated to have around 7,000 fighters in Afghanistan who are involved in attacks against Pakistan. The Washington Post reported that the TTP had established training camps in at least four Afghan provinces, indicating the involvement of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
The report also mentioned hundreds of cross-border attacks by the TTP from Afghan soil against Pakistani military posts and other targets. According to the Washington Post, Afghanistan under the Taliban has become a safe haven for the TTP and a major centre for militant activity against Pakistan.
The Washington Post further reported that Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) was also expanding its network in Afghanistan. The group has recruited around 2,000 fighters and has made northern Afghanistan a major centre for training and operations, according to the report. The report warned that the growing presence of Al-Qaeda, ISIS-K and other jihadist groups in Afghanistan could pose a renewed terrorist threat to the region.
According to the Washington Post, the reorganisation of militant groups in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover has raised international concerns. Al-Qaeda and ISIS-K are focusing on recruiting new fighters from local communities as well as neighbouring countries, the report said. The report added that declining US intelligence capabilities had made it more difficult to monitor newly established terrorist training sites in Afghanistan.
The Washington Post said that, contrary to Taliban claims, the continued presence of Al-Qaeda, the TTP and ISIS-K points to an ongoing threat of terrorism in Afghanistan. The report concluded that the re-emerging activities of terrorist networks in Afghanistan present a new challenge to the gains made in the fight against terrorism since 9/11, while the country once again appears to be providing an environment where Al-Qaeda and other militant groups can rebuild their capabilities.
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