Pakistan strikes in Afghanistan fail to deter Islamic State

Pak shelling reported in eastern provinces of Afghanistan, ISKP continues to carry out attacks

Days after a string of terror attacks hit Pakistan, the military extended its crackdown on militancy in the neighbouring Afghanistan as it shelled the militant camps and safe houses lined along the porous border in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar and Kunar, where the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP) and several militant groups have established their strongholds.

Notwithstanding, the strike by Pakistan, ISKP continued its reign of terror as it attacked the Afghan Army over two days killing more than 23 soldiers.

The cross-border strike by Pakistan has reportedly hit camps of Jamaat ul Ahrar, a splinter group of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and an ally of the ISKP. The strike came within 48 hours as the ISKP claiming responsibility for a suicide blast at the renowned Sufi shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar at Sehwan in Balochistan, killing 88 people and Pakistan military claiming `linkages of support for these incidents from across the border.''

The military campaign, though not yet confirmed by Pakistan military and government, has evoked strong condemnation by Afghanistan, as local authorities reported civilians were injured and hundreds fled their houses. The foreign ministry too summoned Pakistan's Ambassador Abrar Hussain to protest the border shelling. If confirmed, it will be the first cross-border strike by Pakistan military into Afghanistan against militants.

Tensions are running high between the two neighbouring countries since Thursday night shortly after the Sehwan blast as Pakistan military alleged the terrorist groups attacking on its soil were operating from Afghanistan. The top brass of Pakistan military first summoned officials from the Afghanistan embassy at the Army headquarters and handed a list of 76 terrorists based in Afghanistan, tasking them with immediate action or to be handed over. Major General Asif Ghafoor, spokesperson for the Pakistan Armed forces, posted a tweet on Saturday saying as part of the combing operations, the border is closed and no movement from Afghanistan is allowed into Pakistan. Chief of Army Staff, Gen Qamar Bajwa also spoke to US Gen John Nicholson, Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan to complain about terrorist groups and its leadership was hiding and acting with impunity.

The ISKP — branch of the Islamic State or ISIS – has been operational in the Af-Pak region since 2015. In Pakistan, since last August, the group has collaborated with proscribed sectarian local affiliates such as the Jamat ul Ahrar and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi using their network in Balochistan to conduct large-scale attacks in the province.

These groups are based in `Khost, Kunar, Nangarhar and Paktya provinces of Afghanistan from, where they could carry out cross-border attacks on targets in Pakistani territory,’ the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team’s 19th report to the UN Security Council released in January notes.

While the military campaigns on ground and aerial strikes in Syria and Iraq have shrunk the IS-held territory, destroyed its resources and resulted in a loss of manpower, the ISKP continues to wield its command in Af-Pak. From its peak in power, the group has lost control from nine districts to three-and-a-half districts in eastern Afghanistan, where it maintains a strong base, states the UN report's recent updates for January. It adds, there are around 1,600 IS militants in the districts of Deh Bala, Kot, Achin and Naziyan in Nangarhar province with 700 foreign militants and about 200 based in Kunar province. Both these provinces reportedly were shelled by Pakistan on Saturday.

The UN report indicates ISKP to have significant strength of 2000-3500 fighters. The numbers keep on fluctuating based on the clashes between ISKP and its rival the Afghan Taliban. Afghan officials, however, informed in the UN report that IS “maintained the ability to reorganise and re-infiltrate the areas that it had lost in 2016.’’

One reason for its ability is the alliances it forms with local militant groups and maintain its strength. Most of its recruits are local Afghans and Pakistani and it draws many foot soldiers from former TTP groups and from the increasing refugee population in Afghanistan.

The loss in territory, number of recruits and finances in the last year has, however, “not hampered its ambitions,’’ the UN report observes ``It appears to be well equipped and uses military-grade explosives for improvised explosive device attacks in Kabul.’’

In the eastern provinces, on Friday, the group attacked security force check points in Jorjori area of Nangarhar, killed 18 soldiers and plundered their weapons, ammunition. Posting photos of the `war loot’, a statement by ISKP claimed, ``On Saturday Afghan soldiers and captured one as it attacked Army barracks in north of Kunar.

(Source : dnaindia.com)

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