Around 6,500 Pakistani terrorists are in Afghanistan: UN
New Delhi : Around 6,500 Pakistani terrorists are in neighbouring nation Afghanistan, posing threat to both the nations, said a UN report.
The 26th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIS, al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities said that the terror group al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) operates under the Taliban umbrella from Nimruz, Helmand and Kandahar provinces of Afghanistan.
"The group reportedly has between 150 and 200 members from Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Pakistan. The current leader of AQIS is Osama Mahmood", who succeeded the late Asim Umar.
"AQIS is reportedly planning retaliation operations in the region to avenge the death of its former leader," it said.
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a "large terrorist group present in Afghanistan", has claimed responsibility for various high-profile attacks in Pakistan and has facilitated others by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Lahskhar-e-Islam, the report said.
"The total number of Pakistani foreign terrorist fighters in Afghanistan, posing a threat to both countries, is estimated at between 6,000 and 6,500, most of them with TTP," it said, adding that a number of other terrorist groups are active in Afghanistan, most operating under the umbrella of the Taliban but some aligned with ISIL-K.
The report comes a fortnight after India questioned Pakistan at UN about why the country is seen as the epicenter of terrorism and the "best safe haven for terrorists".
