Despite vehement denials by officials of the so called Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan commonly known as the Taliban, there is adequate evidence to denote that former terrorist group now in power in Kabul continues to support groups such as the Tehreek Taliban Pakistan or TTP active in the tribal areas and Balochistan of Pakistan, the Islamic State of Khorasan Province or ISKP which has carried out attacks in Iran and is present in Tajikistan and possibly others.
The presence of these groups and the number of attacks that have occurred in the past two months is a testament that the Taliban seeks to not only harbour terrorist groups but also is looking at creating a change through terrorism. This is also evident in the ideological underpinnings highlighted by some of the top official affiliates to Kabul. So first the ideology-
Ideology.
Zakir Jalali, a foreign ministry adviser for the Taliban, justified the reluctance to label the ISIS suicide attack in Kerman, Iran, as a “terrorist” act.
Jalali stated that the Taliban, referring to ISIS as "seditionists," has never labelled even the gravest crimes of this group in Afghanistan as terrorist.
The Taliban's foreign ministry denounced the Kerman incident, where two explosions killed a hundred people, but refrained from categorising it as a, “terrorist,” incident,
It was former Iranian ambassador Mohammad Reza Bahrami who had raised the flag over the inclination of the Taliban in the past who pointed out this omission, suggesting it carried significant implications. Jalali on the other hand justified the same.
In a related development, Charge d'affaires of Afghanistan's embassy in Islamabad, Sardar Ahmad Shakib claimed that there are no terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil whether against Iran or Pakistan.
At the same time the Shakib proposed that it act as a mediator between the Tehreek Taliban Pakistan and Pakistan government to resolve the ongoing differences of continued terrorist sanctuaries claimed by Pakistan in Afghanistan.
The apparent contradiction in its own statements is not obvious to Kabul given that it seeks to pursue the policy of providing space for radical Islamist groups as the TTP to expand their influence in the tribal areas of Pakistan.
On the other hand, against Iran the Taliban has limited capabilities to curb the activities of groups such as the IS KP which is active in promoting terrorism in the western neighbor.
TTP Solution Offered to Pakistan
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan party, has not traveled to Afghanistan as a representative of the Pakistani government after he returned from the visit. Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the head of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan prior to his visit had claimed that he had been briefed by the Foreign Office and other agencies in Islamabad alluding to the ISI.
Importantly reclusive Supreme Authority of the Taliban, Hibatullah Akhundzada who has not met with foreign leaders let alone those who are from the country per se with rare interactions with leaders in Kabul as well met with the Maulana.
The first meeting with foreigners was secret talks with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, held May 12 in the Afghan city of Kandahar.
The discussions focused on the need to lift Taliban bans on women and girls and further Kabul's dialogue with the world to help end the isolation of the de facto Afghan rulers who took control of the country in August 2021.
Now the meeting with Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, the leader of Pakistan's Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam the second foreigner to meet Hibatullah where the main subject of discussions may have been relations with Pakistan.
Islamabad has stated that the TTP and other groups use Afghan soil against Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban have denied the charge and have stated they will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil to be used against the neighbour.
With Taliban foreign office suddenly giving a cold shoulder to Rehman it can be assessed that this was possibly because the solution that he got back from Kabul was once again negotiations with the TTP which is not acceptable to the Army and ISI in Pakistan.
This was evident from the fact that Pakistan suddenly decided to close the Torkham crossing for cargo trucks from Afghanistan claiming that this was due to a visa issue concerning the drivers.
The links thus remain obvious.
The ISKP/ISIL Regional Threat
Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan face a common threat from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant [ISIL] also known as ISIS and its regional affiliate the Islamic State of Khorasan Province [ISKP]. This has resurfaced as it claimed responsibility for conducting twin bombings on January 3 in Kerman in southeastern Iran.
ISIL disclosed the perpetrators were Omar al-Movahed and Seif-Allah Mujahed, who wore explosive belts.
ISK during the same week has caried out two attacks in Afghanistan.
There is a discussion now in Iran and Tajikistan of a wider threat of terrorism emanating from the ISKP branch of the grouping, which has a footprint in the three countries and in Pakistan. ISKP a regional branch of the Islamic State.
The Iranian government has confirmed that at least one of the ISIS suicide bombers involved in the January 3 attack in Kerman was a Tajik national.
Iranian and Pakistani representatives are expected to evolve a common strategy for containing the ISKP.
Denial as Strategy to Counter Allegations
Taliban strategy to counter the allegations is the argument of lack of space for terrorist groups by indicating that violence levels in the country have declined very drastically and there is no insecurity in Afghanistan as opposed to the times when the Republic government was in power.
However, recent terrorist attacks in Afghanistan indicate that the presence of the ISKP and other groups who are active in the country.
How long this perfidy will be sustained remains to be seen?
Indian Perspective
While so far India appears to be off the radar of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan, how long will New Delhi and particularly Jammu and Kashmir will be inured from the threat remains to be seen?