Reports in international media have surfaced that the number of seminaries is growing rapidly under the Afghan Taliban, a worrisome development for counterterrorism experts. In August 2021, approximately 5,000 madrasas were operational in Afghanistan, with the total currently propelled to 21,000. An estimate suggests that these madrasas will enroll around 3.6 million students, who could potentially become terrorist organizations’ foot soldiers.

A latest report from the UN Security Council revealed the growth of Al-Qaeda, ISKP, TTP [also named as Fitna-al-Khwarij] and ETIM in Afghanistan, along with the intensification of jihadist indoctrination of youth by the Afghan Taliban. It demonstrates that the interim Afghan government continues to violate the Doha Agreement. In this regard, multiple reports from the UN Security Council support Pakistan’s claims that the TTP, with the backing of the Afghan Taliban, is becoming a global terrorist threat. It exposes the Afghan Taliban’s use of lies and deceit to promote terrorism in Pakistan, in violation of international relations’ norms.

The most worrisome aspect of the Afghan Taliban is their support to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).

Another UN Security Council report revealed that the Afghan Taliban are paying ISKP militants to join the TTP, confirming Pakistan’s claim that both TTP and ISKP are collaborating to carry out terrorist attacks in the region. Meanwhile, the Afghan Taliban have revived ETIM too. Now the terrorist outfits – TTP and ETIM – are cooperating closely within Afghanistan.

The most worrisome aspect of the Afghan Taliban is their support to the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). In fact, the Afghan Taliban and TTP are aiding the BLA in their extortion-related activities in Balochistan, while also aiming to undermine China’s interests in Pakistan.

According to the UN Security Council findings, the TTP could become a global threat while working with Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda is reorganizing and training its militants, and Arab militants are increasingly traveling to Afghanistan. Around 200 Al-Qaeda trainers are working with TTP to enhance its terrorist activities in Pakistan.

Also read: Will Afghanistan Eliminate Terrorist Groups Within The Country?

TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud is closely working with Al-Qaeda and ISKP in Afghanistan to further complicate threats for Pakistan. Al-Qaeda has operationalized eight camps in Afghanistan, and the one is in Kunar is providing training to the TTP suicide bombers. Al-Qaeda has gifted some vehicles to the TTP to ensure the safety of its leaders. An AL-Qaeda commander, Hakeem Al-Masri, is providing full support the TTP’s terrorist activities in Pakistan. The collaboration between TTP and Al-Qaeda will certainly boost the global reach of the two terrorist outfits, and the international community needs to check the trend immediately.

The UN research group’s findings indicate that the members of Afghan Taliban view their participation in the TTP attacks as a religious obligation. The Afghan Taliban supplied the group with substantial amounts of leftover American weaponry and manpower to carry out the attacks. Pakistan, facing A serious terrorist threats from the TTP safe havens in Afghanistan, has formally informed the UN Security Council that anti-Pakistan terrorists enjoy freedom of action in Afghanistan. The UN should investigate how the TTP obtained modern weapons, which their ability to conduct lethal.

The UN research group’s findings indicate that members of the Afghan Taliban view their participation in the TTP attacks as a religious obligation.

One expects that the international community will hold the interim Afghan government accountable for violating the Doha Agreement by providing protection to global terrorists. One of them is Noor Wali Mehsud who is embracing segments of Al-Qaeda and ISKP in response to the new ground realities that have emerged following the US departure from Afghanistan.

Regrettably, the Afghan Taliban have become his accomplices in this regard. He fits the perfect profile of an international terrorist, leading to his blacklisting by the UN Security Council and his designation as a global terrorist by the US. Now, he has a favorable environment to further his terrorist agenda in Afghanistan, as recent UN reports confirm the thriving Al-Qaeda, ISKP and TTP terrorist training camps in the country.

Pakistan has told the UN Security Council that the resurgence of TTP attacks in Pakistan can be attributed to the actions of the interim Afghan government. It has further warned that the TTP is an Al-Qaeda-backed terrorist organization, and its unchecked activities in Afghanistan will escalate global terrorist threats as well. In the interest of world peace, the international community must exert pressure on the interim Afghan government to dismantle the anti-Pakistan terrorist networks and eliminate global terrorist threats emerging from Afghanistan.