UN Report Says Taliban, Al Qaeda Linked Groups Supplying NATO-Calibre Weapons to IS – News18

The Tehreek-i-Tali­ban Pakistan (TTP) and other terrorist groups affiliated with the Taliban and Al Qaeda are providing NATO-calibre weapons to the members of Islamic State (IS) or Da’esh, according to a UN report discussed at a Security Council meeting in New York.

In the UN report made public this week, two senior UN counter-terrorism officials raised concern about the proliferation of weapons in Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa, in particular the access by Da’esh and its regional affiliates to small arms and light weapons, as well as their increased use of unmanned aircraft systems and improvised explosive devices.

“With the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, Member States expressed concern over the proliferation of large quantities of weapons and other military equipment within Afghanistan and into neighbouring States,” the UN report read. “Regional Member States reported that North Atlantic Treaty Organization-calibre weapons typically associated with the former Afghan National Defence and Security Forces were being transferred to ISIL-K by groups affiliated with the Taliban and Al-Qaida, such as Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, also known as the Turkistan Islamic Party,” it added.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid denied such claims as ‘unfounded.’ In a response posted on his X account, Mujahid claimed that since the Taliban takeover, “activities of the Daesh group in Afghanistan have been reduced to zero”.

The spokesperson for the radical Islamic group said that those who were “spreading such undocumented and negative propaganda” about terrorist activities in Afghanistan “either lack information or want to use this propaganda to give a moral boost to Daesh and its cause”.

On Friday, the Secu­rity Council was told that despite successful international counter-terrorism initiatives, the extremist group Da’esh and its affiliates continue to pose a serious threat in conflict zones and neighbouring countries.

“This analytical distinction can obscure what is the complex, context-specific and dynamic nature of how these groups operate and evolve and their impact on international peace and security,” said Vladimir Voronkov, head of the UN Counter-Terrorism Office (UNOCT). Voronkov stressed that countering and preventing terrorism require long-term commitment as well as continued and coordinated efforts.

Voronkov said the continued expansion of Da’esh and affiliates in parts of Africa, as well as the increasing level of violence and threat, remain deeply concerning. The Da’esh affiliate in the Sahel region “is becoming increasingly autonomous” and stepping up attacks in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

Meanwhile, the situation in Afghanistan is growing increasingly complex, as fears of weapons and ammunition falling into the hands of terrorists are now materialising.

“The in-country operational capabilities of Da’esh’s so-called Khorasan province, sanctioned as ISIL-K, has reportedly increased, with the group becoming more sophisticated in its attacks against the Taliban and international targets,” the UNOCT chief said.

“Moreover, the presence and activity of some 20 different terrorist groups in the country, combined with the repressive measures put in place by the Taliban de facto authorities, the absence of sustainable development and a dire humanitarian situation, pose significant challenges for the region and beyond,” he added.