Insurgent Groups In Afghanistan: A Complex Battle Against Government Forces

Afghanistan has been affected by conflicts for decades. The country has been in a state of war since the 1970s, with the most recent conflict being between the Taliban and the former Afghan government led by Ashraf Ghani. The Taliban is an Islamic fundamentalist political movement that gained control of most of the country in August 2021 and is now the de facto government of Afghanistan.

The Taliban first came to power in 1996, following a non-international armed conflict with the Afghan government. In 2001, the United States invaded Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban regime. This marked the beginning of a 20-year war between the Taliban and the United States-backed Afghan government.

In recent years, Afghanistan has been affected by multiple and overlapping non-international armed conflicts. In addition to fighting the Taliban, the former Afghan government was also engaged in a conflict with the Khorasan province branch of the Islamic State group (IS-KP). The Taliban and IS-KP were also engaged in a parallel conflict with each other.

Since the Taliban took control of most of the country in 2021, they are now considered the de facto government of Afghanistan. As such, the conflict between the Taliban and the former Afghan government is over, and a new conflict has emerged between the Taliban and the National Resistance Front (loyal to the former government).

The Taliban is an organised armed group with a strong operational capacity. They have an organised command structure, a proclaimed leadership figure, and specific functions for their members. They were able to speak with one voice and to participate in negotiations and conclude agreements.

The National Resistance Front is led by Amrullah Saleh and Ahmad Massoud and consists of local militias, newly recruited people, and forces loyal to the ousted government. They dispose of an organised command structure with specific functions and the ability to speak with one voice.

Therefore, there are currently two groups fighting against the government in Afghanistan: the National Resistance Front and the Islamic State group.

The Haqqani Network: This group has bases in North Waziristan and close relations with the Pakistani military

The Haqqani network is an Afghan Islamist group that has used asymmetric warfare in Afghanistan to fight against Soviet forces in the 1980s and US-led NATO forces and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan government in the 21st century. It is recognized as a terrorist organization by the United Nations and the US. The group was founded in 1970 by Jalaluddin Haqqani, a fundamentalist of the Zadran tribe, who fought for Yunus Khalis's mujahideen faction against the Soviets in the 1980s.

The Haqqani network has bases in North Waziristan and close relations with the Pakistani military. The Pakistani Army has refused to launch a military operation in North Waziristan despite the presence of al-Qaeda senior leadership. The Pakistani military views the Haqqani network as a useful ally and proxy force to represent their interests in Afghanistan. The Haqqani network has been able to expand its operations beyond its historical stronghold in Loya-Paktia, which encompasses the provinces of Khost, Paktia and Paktika in southeastern Afghanistan.

The Haqqani network has been blamed for some of the deadliest attacks during the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021), including the attack on the US Embassy and NATO headquarters in Kabul in September 2011. The group has a reputation for frequently using suicide bombings and being able to carry out complex attacks.

The Haqqani network has close ties with the Pakistani intelligence service, the ISI. The ISI does not have complete control over the network but the network could not survive without Pakistani support. The network has been able to survive and thrive due to its relationship with the ISI, which allows it to operate with relative impunity in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The ISI views the Haqqani network as a tool to blunt Indian influence in Afghanistan.

The Haqqani network's relationship with the ISI dates back to the 1970s when Jalaluddin Haqqani was one of the first Afghan Islamists to emerge and work closely with the ISI. The ISI trained Haqqani to fight Prime Minister Mohammad Daud Khan, who had overthrown the previous ruler, King Zahir Shah. During the Soviet invasion, the ISI became close with Haqqani and allowed his organization to become a major benefactor of American weapons, intelligence, and training.

The Haqqani network has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US State Department. This designation will facilitate US goals in Afghanistan by pressuring Pakistan to deal effectively with this deadly group and assist the US in attacking the group's financial network. The US has offered a reward of $5 million for information leading to the capture of the group's leader, Sirajuddin Haqqani.

Al-Qaeda Network: This network has bases in Pakistan and has been carrying out terrorist activities in eastern and southeastern Afghanistan

Al-Qaeda (AQ) is a Wahhabi militant organisation with bases in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It has been carrying out terrorist activities in eastern and southeastern Afghanistan, with the help of its local affiliates. The group's leadership has largely operated out of Pakistan since the American invasion of Afghanistan.

AQ has a longstanding relationship with the Taliban, particularly the Haqqani Network, which is prevalent in eastern Afghanistan. This relationship has allowed AQ to maintain a base of operations in Afghanistan and to carry out terrorist activities in the region. In 2019, during peace negotiations with the U.S., the Taliban reportedly agreed to cease allowing AQ to operate within Afghanistan. However, it is unclear if this agreement has been fully implemented.

Recruitment of militants and trainees for AQ occurs through engagement with local tribes in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The group has, for decades, run training camps along the Afghan-Pakistani border, allowing them to select the most promising candidates for recruitment. AQ offers recruits financial incentives, benefits, and vacations in exchange for their sworn allegiance and secrecy.

AQ has also established a network of affiliate groups, which it controls by dispatching senior leaders to assume top positions in these branches. One such affiliate is Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, which operates in Jamma and Kashmir, India. Another is Ansar al-Shariah Pakistan, a militant organisation composed of AQ fighters returning from Iraq and Syria, as well as smaller local jihadi groups. These affiliates further extend AQ's influence and capabilities in the region.

Through its bases in Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as its network of affiliates, AQ continues to pose a significant threat in eastern and southeastern Afghanistan, carrying out terrorist activities and working against the interests of the Afghan government.

Lashkar-e-Taiba: This terrorist group has been carrying out terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and India

Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), also known as the "Army of the Pure" or "Army of the Righteous", is a Pakistan-based terrorist group that has been carrying out terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and India. LeT was formed in the late 1980s as a militant wing of Markaz-ud-Dawa-wal-Irshad (MDI), an Islamist organisation influenced by the Wahhabi sect of Sunni Islam. It seeks to establish Muslim rule over the entire Indian subcontinent, with a particular focus on the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir.

LeT has a long history of carrying out attacks in India, targeting both military and civilian targets. Some notable attacks include:

• The Red Fort attack in New Delhi in 2000
• The Indian parliament attack in 2001
• The Mumbai train bombings in 2006
• The Mumbai attacks in 2008, also known as 26/11

In addition to its activities in India, LeT has also been active in Afghanistan, where it has targeted Indian interests and supported the Afghan Taliban. The group has received support from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and has been designated as a terrorist organisation by several countries, including the United States and India.

LeT is known for its well-planned and deadly attacks, often targeting symbolic locations and civilians. The group has a hierarchical structure and is led by Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, who has been arrested multiple times but released due to the group's influence in Pakistan. Despite bans and sanctions, LeT continues to operate openly in Pakistan and maintains training camps, schools, and medical clinics. The group's charitable front organisation, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), provides humanitarian relief and social services, fostering support among the Pakistani population.

LeT's ideology is based on a strict interpretation of Islam, and it seeks to establish an Islamic caliphate in South Asia. The group has ties to global militant Islamist organisations, including al-Qaeda, and has assisted in the training and protection of notable al-Qaeda figures. LeT's followers are proponents of Ahl-e-Hadith (AeH) Islam, a South Asian form of Salafism, which considers violent jihad as an obligation for Muslims.

LeT's relationship with its host country, Pakistan, is complicated. While Pakistan has banned the group and its parent organisations, there is evidence that the state has used LeT as a proxy against India. LeT's alignment with Pakistani interests and its focus on non-Muslim targets have contributed to its survival and influence. However, the group's activities and ideology make it a continuing threat to regional stability, especially with the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan.

Jaish-e-Mohammad: This terrorist group has been carrying out terrorist attacks against Afghan people

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) is a Pakistan-based Deobandi jihadist terrorist group with the primary motive of separating Kashmir from India and merging it with Pakistan. The group was founded by Masood Azhar, a former member of Harakat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM). Azhar was released from an Indian jail during a hostage swap on December 31, 1999, following the hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight by HuM.

JeM has been responsible for several terror attacks against Afghan people, including:

• The 2001 attack on the legislative assembly in Indian-administered Kashmir, killing more than 30 people.
• The 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament, which resulted in a tense political standoff between Pakistan and India.
• The 2016 Pathankot airbase attack in India.
• The 2016 attack on the Indian Mission in Mazar-i-Sharif.
• The 2016 Uri attack.
• The 2019 Pulwama attack, which killed 40 Indian security personnel.
• The 2019 attack on a CRPF convoy in Awantipora, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed over 40 people.
• The 2021 killing of a key terrorist involved in the conspiracy and planning of the 2019 Pulwama terror attack.

JeM has maintained close relations with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and continues to be allied with these groups. The group has been designated as a terrorist organisation by several countries and the United Nations. Despite being banned in Pakistan, JeM continues to operate and carry out attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir and other parts of India.

Mujahidin United Council: Bases and training centres of this terrorist group are located in Waziristan, Pakistan

Afghanistan has been facing threats from numerous terrorist groups. The Afghan Security and Defense departments have claimed that 20 regional and international terrorist organisations are fighting against the Afghan government. These groups have been trying to expand their activities by setting up large military bases in the region.

One such group is the Mujahidin United Council, also known as Harakat Ul-Mujahidin or HuM. The group is based in several towns in Pakistan, including Muzaffarabad, Rawalpindi, and Mashera in Kashmir. HuM trains its militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan and has been responsible for terrorist activities in Kashmir, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, and other countries. The group's militants have been known to take part in terrorist operations in Tajikistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and other regions. HuM has strong ties to Pakistan and has operated terrorist training camps in eastern Afghanistan until they were destroyed in 2001.

The Haqqani Network, another terrorist group fighting against the Afghan government, also has bases in North Waziristan and close relations with the Pakistani military. However, there is limited specific information about the Mujahidin United Council having bases or training centres in Waziristan, Pakistan.

Waziristan, a region in Pakistan's northwest tribal areas, has been known for its lawlessness and the presence of various militant groups. While it is possible that the Mujahidin United Council may have had some presence in Waziristan due to its proximity to their known bases in Pakistan, no specific information confirms their bases or training centres in that particular region.

It is important to note that the situation in Afghanistan is complex and dynamic, with various terrorist groups operating across the country and utilising Pakistan as a base for their activities. The information available on specific groups and their locations may also be limited or constantly changing.

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