Militants affiliated with Al-Qaeda are reportedly assembling in southern Afghanistan, according to a statement from the UN Security Council's press service. Atlas Press reports that the UN Security Council sanctions monitoring group gathered intelligence on the southern provinces, identifying between 200 and 400 Al-Qaeda members near the Pakistan border.
The UN Security Council received the monitoring group's report on foreign fighters in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan at the end of June. The report, which was double-checked for accuracy, indicates Al-Qaeda presence in Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar, Nimroz, Paktika, and Zabul provinces. The Taliban, maintaining relations with these militants, has reportedly allowed them to move freely across the country. The militants are mostly citizens of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar. Al-Qaeda leader Mahmud and his deputy Atif Yahya Ghori are also believed to be in Afghanistan.
The report highlights the activity of international terrorist groups in Afghanistan, noting that the Taliban's control has created a “safe environment” for these groups. The head of ISIS's Khorasan branch has moved from Pakistan to Afghanistan, and despite the group's limited control over territory, it poses a threat of launching sophisticated regional attacks.
The report also raises concerns about the Tahriki Taliban and East Turkestan Movement groups, which number between 3,000 and 5,000 soldiers. These groups reportedly receive foreign weapons and have established strong ties with the Taliban in Kabul. The East Turkestan Movement has relocated from Badakhshan to Baghlan and Takhar regions, causing serious concern in neighboring Tajikistan.
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