A UN report has warned that the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) may seek to merge with Al Qaeda to create an umbrella organization that incorporates all militant groups operating in South Asia. The report also said that the TTP has increased its influence in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, and that it is aspiring to re-establish control of territory in Pakistan.
The report noted that the TTP does not control territory, but that it has the ambition to do so. It also said that other terrorist groups are using the TTP cover to operate in Afghanistan. The report further said that the relationship between the Taliban and Al Qaeda remains close and symbiotic. Al Qaeda mostly operates covertly in Afghanistan to help promote the narrative that the Taliban comply with agreements not to use Afghan soil for terrorist purposes.
Under the patronage of high-ranking officials of the de facto Taliban authorities, Al Qaeda members infiltrate law enforcement agencies and public administration bodies, ensuring the security of Al Qaeda cells dispersed throughout the country.
The report’s findings are a matter of concern for the security of Pakistan and the region. The TTP is a dangerous group that has carried out numerous attacks in Pakistan, and its merger with Al Qaeda would be a major setback in the fight against terrorism.
The report also highlights the need for the international community to work together to pressure the Taliban to rein in the TTP and other terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan.
