Afghan Security and Defense departments on Sunday said 20 regional and international terrorist groups are fighting against the Afghan government and warned they are trying to expand their activities by establishing big military bases in the region.
President Ashraf Ghani has repeatedly said 20 terrorist groups are in the country. According to security departments, these groups have bases in Pakistan.
It also has been said that some of the terrorist groups have bases in Afghanistan. The reason behind Taliban efforts to expand their terrorist activities is to establish an Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan.
The terrorist groups that fight in Afghanistan include:
• Haqqani Network: This group has bases in North Waziristan and according to security departments, the group has close relations with Pakistan military.
• Al-Qaeda Network: Reports indicate that this network has bases in Pakistan and have been carrying out terrorist activities in eastern and south-eastern part of Afghanistan.
• Daesh: Daesh, the newest group, is growing into a big threat against Afghanistan. It has carried out most of the deadly attacks in the country. Reports say Daesh training centers are located in Pakistan.
“Lashkar-e-Taiba, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Pakistani Taliban and Panjabi militants support Taliban and they are active in Afghanistan,” said Dawlat Waziri, spokesman of Ministry of Defense.
• Lashkar-e-Jhangvi: Training centers of this group are located in Waziristan in Pakistan. The group has carried out deadly attacks against Shia People in Afghanistan.
• Lashkar-e-Taiba: This terrorist group has been carrying out terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and India. The group has carried many deadly attacks in Afghanistan so far.
• Jaish-e-Mohammad: This terrorist group also has been carrying out terrorist attacks against Afghan people and Afghan people.
• Mujahidin United Council (Shura-i-Etehad Mujahidin): Bases and training center of this terrorist group also located in Waziristan in Pakistan.
• Maulvi Nazir Group: This terrorist group’s training centers are located in South Waziristan.
• Therik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP): TTP is the terrorist group that Pakistan claims the group leadership is located in Afghanistan, but reports say the group’s bases and training centers are located in South Waziristan.
• Amre Ba Maroof and Momin group are other groups that have been launching terrorist attacks against Afghanistan.
“Extremism and terrorist ideologies originate from Pakistan and is being used as a tool for destroying Afghanistan,” said Sediq Sediqqi, spokesman of Ministry of Interior.
There are other Paksitani terrorist groups, such as Jamat ud Dawah, Lashkar-e-Islam, Ansarul Islam and Islamic Jihad Movement that have been carrying out attacks against Afghanistan.
Chechens, Uighur terrorist group, Tajiks, Tehrik-i-Uzbekistan and Arabs are the Middle East terrorist groups that have been active against Afghan government for many years.
“Terrorist groups use Afghanistan as their bases, recruitment centers, support and organizing their fighters,” said Jawid Kohistani, military analyst.
