Haqqanis have free run in Pakistan, claims US commander

KABUL: The Haqqani network continues to enjoy sanctuary in Pakistan and operates freely from there, John Nicholson – the top US commander in Afghanistan – said.

In an interview with The Indian Express, Nicholson said, “We see, on the one hand, a stated aspiration for reconciliation (on the part of the Pakistan government, by bringing the Taliban to the table for peace talks). While on the other, the Haqqanis still enjoy sanctuary and can operate freely from inside Pakistan and this continues to be a concern.”

Nicholson, however, said he would give the Pakistani government and the army great credit for mounting Operation Zarb-e-Azb against terrorists and other insurgents. One consequence of this operation was that several terrorists, including the Pakistani Taliban, were forced to migrate to Afghanistan, thereby allowing the Afghan security forces to target them.

“But we haven’t seen that with the Haqqanis. They were not forced over (into Afghanistan by the Pakistani operation). The Haqqanis continue to conduct operations from inside Pakistan, against Afghans and the US-led coalition,” Nicholson claimed.