Pentagon watchdog says Taliban are already offering SAFE HAVEN to AL Qaeda
That is this morning’s headline at the Daily Mail, repeated in The Sun. I went straight to their source, which is the United States’ Department of Defense Office of Inspector General. The report entitled
Lead Inspector General for Operation Freedom’s Sentinel I Quarterly Report to the United States Congress
I April 1, 2021 – June 30, 2021, dated 13th August 2021 and released yesterday.
It’s more than just Al Quaeda as well.
As the DoD (Department of Defence) restructured its counterterrorism mission to locations outside of Afghanistan, ISIS—Khorasan exploited the political instability and rise in violence during the quarter by attacking minority sectarian targets and infrastructure to spread fear and highlight the Afghan government’s inability to provide adequate security. Additionally, the Taliban continued to maintain its relationship with al-Qaeda, providing safe haven for the terrorist group in Afghanistan.
Most readers will know that Khorasan or Islamic State Khorasan is ISIS’s operation in central Asia. Khorasan is the historic name for the region encompassing present day Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia, which the Australian government explains rather nicely here, including a list of their terror attacks to date.
According to the Department of State (US – DoS), the Taliban continues to engage in the peace process because the group seeks international legitimacy and assistance, as well as the removal of U.S. and UN sanctions.
Meanwhile in West Africa the situation in Afghanistan is also causing alarm, in particular because of the encouragment, for want of a better word, that might be given to Boko Haram. The Sahara Reporters who specialise in news from West African and the Sahel report below this morning
Northern Nigeria Trends On Twitter As Users Fear Muslim North May Become Another Afghanistan
Many tweeps, including foreigners have likened the insecurity and situation in the Northern part of Nigeria to that of Afghanistan. Most Nigerians on Twitter have expressed fear that what happened in the Asian country might happen in Northern Nigeria if the government refuses to act fast.
They claimed that Taliban’s ideology is already pervading and permeating deep into the region, adding that weapons seized by the group may soon find their way to Northern Nigeria.
Northern Nigeria has also been the epicentre of an insurgency war between military forces and Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.
Also, despite condemnations from Nigerians, the Hisbah group,(The agency, established to enforce Sharia law in some states in the region) also known as Islamic police, has continued its push for the Islamic agenda in the North.
One such ‘tweeper’ is Nefertiti a Nigerian lady who seems to know what’s what.
NEFERTITI @firstladyship 1. Recent events in Afghanistan, already happened in Nigeria. With exacerbated killings in the Jos Plateau, Benue & Southern, Hisbah Sharia Police banning alcohol & mannequins in Kano, bandits controlling NW forests,
2. Boko Haram/ISWAP hoisting their flags in Borno State & Shiroro Niger State, so close to Abuja, massive ungoverned spaces in the North. Nigerian military sympathetic to terrorists. Everything you see in Afghanistan now, is there in Nigeria. No doubt about this.
3. Taliban ideology is already pervading & permeating deep into Nigeria Northern fringes. Quarters sympathetic to bandits, Boko Haram/ISWAP, will be jubilant & inspired over Taliban victory. We won’t see the immediate effects of this until the dust settles. It may not end well.
Onye Nkuzi @cchukudebelu Anyone who believes that the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan will have no impact on politics in Northern Nigeria, is either extremely naïve, or in denial.
Replying to @cchukudebelu Yes, is going to boost morale of Northern Islam caliphate now , this is a bad precedent
Replying to @cchukudebelu When US invaded Pakistan/Afghanistan due to 9/11 attack, many of us were attacked in kano. Many Christians were killed and houses/shops burned down. That was in 2001. It’s not time to be naive and stupid.
Replying to @cchukudebelu The speed of the next BH move will be breathtaking.
These are all Sunni Islamic groups; we don’t even have the hope that (as with the Shia of Iran v Sunni) they will flounder fighting each other.