TTP groups using Afghan soil for terrorism in Pakistan

PESHAWAR: Despite assurances of the Afghan government, all the major groups of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan are using the Afghan soil to carry out terrorist activities in Pakistan. TTP groups are operating from the eastern parts of Afghanistan including Khost, Paktia, Nangarhar, Kunar, and Kandahar provinces. Since 2020, 42 groups have joined the TTP, including 20 in 2023.

Credible sources confirmed that all the major groups are operating from Afghanistan without any resistance from the Afghan government. They have established safe havens and training centers in the areas close to Pakistan’s borders.

Hafiz Gul Bahadur, whose group is operating from Khost, is the leader of the organisation. Similarly, Laskhar-i-Islam members are residing in Paktia under the leadership of Mangal Bagh. Omar Mukarram Khurasani is the head of the Jamaat-ur–Ahrar and Hizbul Ahrar and they have headquarters in Paktika.

Another group of TTP is called Mulawi Aleem Khan Ustad group working from Khost under the leadership of Aleem Khan. Mawlana Sher Alam is the head of the Sheheryar Mehsud group and resides in Kandahar. Hakim Ullah Mehsud group is headed by Commander Mukhlis Yaar and they are operating from Khost.

Similarly, Amjad Farooqi’s group stations in Nangarhar and Ustad Ahmad Farooq is leading the group. Another commander Maulvi Khush Muhammad is living with his group, the Saif Ullah Kurd faction, in Paktika.

Likewise, Musa Shaheed Karwan is residing in Nangarhar and, Ghazi Umar Izzam is the head of the organisation. Ahmad Dawar is the head of the Ezzatullah Kheyali group and they are living in Kunar. Dr Ismail’s group from Bajaur is working under Maulana Ismail in Kunar. Tariq Gidar group is headed by Tariq Mansoor and they are living in Kunar.

Several TTP commanders were killed in Afghanistan. According to reports, Mullah Fazlullah was killed in Kunar on June 18, 2018, by a drone attack in Kunar province. Another commander Rafiullah was assassinated on power and financial issues between different factions of the TTP on February 01, 2022 in Kabul.

Similarly, Khalid Balti was killed on January 10, 2022 in Nangarhar. He was the person who had called the media in Pakistan and Afghanistan to claim the 2014 terrorist attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar.

Maulana Uqbai Bajauri was killed in Kunar on August 7, 2022. Omar Khaled Khorasani was killed in a blast in Paktika on August 8, 2022. Asadullah Pehelwan was assassinated by unknown gunmen in Spin Boldak in Kandahar on October 27, 2022. Akhtar Khalil was killed in Nangarhar on September 29, 2022. Badshsha Khan Mehsud was killed in a landmine blast in Paktika on September 10, 2023.

TTP Commander Lakki Marwat Atiqur Rehman, known as Tipu Gul, was killed in Kunar during a shootout on October 8, 2023. Commander Chamtu Waziristani was killed in Khost on October 23, 2023, and Fazal Amin was killed in Nangarhar on November 05, 2023.