Threats from terrorist groups still exist in Afghanistan: SIGAR

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) says in its new report that more than two years after the Islamic Emirate’s takeover, threats from terrorist groups still exist in Afghanistan.

SIGAR has mentioned Daesh, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and al-Qaeda as serious terrorist threats.

Based on SIGAR’s report, the US said that it is not yet clear whether the ruling authorities in Afghanistan can prevent the foreign operations of al-Qaeda, TTP and Daesh or not.

This organization also said that America has helped Afghanistan with more than eleven billion dollars in the last two years.

“The United States says that it is still unclear whether the Taliban can prevent the activities of terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Daesh, which decide to carry out operations in neighboring countries and the United States,” the report read.

Meanwhile, IEA’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid called this report “propaganda” and said that al-Qaeda does not exist in the country and that Afghanistan’s soil will not be used against any country.

In addition, Pakistan on Thursday reiterated its demand for Afghanistan to extradite the leaders of banned TTP while underscoring the need for bringing to justice those responsible for terrorism and maintaining regional security.

“We urge Afghanistan to take immediate and effective action against these terrorist entities, hand over their leadership to Pakistan, and those individuals who have been involved in terrorist activities inside Pakistan,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at the weekly media briefing, Dawn newspaper reported.

“We have shared concrete evidence with regards to their involvement with Afghan authorities,” the spokesperson said and added that Pakistan government was “very concerned” that TTP is given a free hand to attack Pakistan, and to sponsor terrorist activities inside Pakistan.

Earlier, the United Nations Security Council had said that the Islamic Emirate maintained its close ties with al-Qaeda network.