Pakistani security analysts have strongly rejected the recent statement by Afghan Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob that terrorist groups like the TTP and BLA do not operate from Afghan soil, labeling it a “white lie” that contradicts evidence from international monitors.
This rebuttal is supported by the 35th Monitoring Report of the UN Security Council from February 2025. The UN report states that the TTP has established new training centers in the Afghan provinces of Nangarhar, Kunar, Khost, and Paktika. It estimates that 6,000-6,500 TTP fighters are present in Afghan sanctuaries and alleges that the Taliban government provides them with financial, logistical, and operational support.
The analysts also pointed to evidence beyond the TTP. They cited former CIA officer Sarah Adams, whose 2025 research confirmed the existence of joint al-Qaeda and BLA training camps on the outskirts of Jalalabad, allegedly with patronage from both the Taliban and RAW.
As concrete proof that Afghan soil serves as a safe haven, analysts referenced the 2018 killing of Aslam Achu, a founding commander of the BLA’s Fidai Brigade, in a suicide bombing in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
The analysis concluded with a list of five steps for the Afghan Taliban leadership to take to prove its sincerity: immediately close TTP camps, allow UN-observed searches for BLA camps, hand over terrorist leadership, ban financial networks supporting militants, and restore the joint border monitoring mechanism. Until these actions are taken, analysts argue, Afghanistan remains a global hub of terrorism, and Pakistan retains the right to defend its territory.
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