The United Nations Security Council has recently confirmed continuation of Taliban’s
relations with al-Qaeda and other international terror groups. In its report, the Anal
ysis and Monitoring group of the UNSC sanctions committee said that Taliban relations with al-Qaeda and other international terror groups is ongoing, adding that in areas under the Taliban domination and protection, al-Qaeda was present and active.
Prior to this, Pentagon had also said that there is no sign of cutting ties between Taliban and al-Qaeda. In Doha agreement Taliban had promised with the Americans that they would cease ties with al-Qaeda and other international terror groups, but with elapse of over one year from their commitment, not only they have not cut ties, but also strengthened their relations with other transborder terror networks.
As per the information of Afghan secret agencies, thousands of Pakistani militants and extremists of Central Asian countries, including China and Russia are fighting beside Taliban against Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. Al-Qaeda is one of the powerful arms of Taliban that its fighters help and assist Taliban insurgents in organizing and carrying out of terror attacks. Sustaining of Taliban relations with al-Qaeda and other international terror networks is an alarm to regional countries, particularly Afghanistan’s northern neighbors.
Taking into account the presence of international terrorists within Taliban ranks, the Central Asian countries are strongly concerned on expansion of insecurity scopes and terror threats close to their borders. Deployment of thousands of armed forces and sophisticated military equipment along the Afghan northern borders by Central Asian countries and Russia, is clear sign of their concerns on presence of international terrorists within Taliban ranks.
Indeed, hasty assessment of the international community and the regional countries regarding Taliban and granting political concession to the group, has jeopardized security of the whole region. The US and the regional countries acknowledged unlimited concessions to Taliban with their analysis that the group might have changed.
Direct talks with Taliban and signing of a peace agreement was a frank mistake that was perpetrated by the US, as these talks eliminated their hideousness and persuaded other regional countries to follow US and enter into negotiations with Taliban.
In the last one-year majority of the regional countries officially invited Taliban leaders and laid red carpet to them. All these caused the Taliban to promote to a political faction from a terror group.
But now it seems that the international community and the regional countries have noticed their mis-approaches. The countries who had sometimes before laid red carpet to Taliban leaders, have now sense of threats close to their ears. The recent UNSC report frankly shows that Taliban are not changeable. The groups nature is the same as it was before and no change has appeared in their ideas, thinking and behavior.
Taliban have no difference with al-Qaeda and ISIS from the ideological perspectives. Taliban have common aspects with all these groups.
The Taliban leaders have friendly ties and even relationship with leaders and commanders of most active terrorist groups in the region. Taliban are heavily embedded with terror groups and cutting ties with them seems impossible for insurgents.
Therefore, support of Afghanistan popular and legitimate system is the only way of establishment of permanent security and stability in the region, a system who senses responsibility before regional security, a system who is loyal to all international laws and conventions and has been practically on the front line of war on terror and is fighting for the world security and stability.
