The commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) in the Middle East stated that although the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is “a serious threat” to the stability of Pakistan’s border regions, the Afghan Taliban show no inclination to act against this group.
General Michael Kurilla mentioned, “The inability or unwillingness of the Taliban to contain extremist groups destabilizes Central and South Asia.”
According to the Express Tribune, General Michael Kurilla, the CENTCOM commander, said on Sunday in the US Senate, “The Taliban have little to no interest in exerting pressure on the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan in terms of combating terrorist groups. This is while the TTP poses a serious threat to the border regions of Pakistan.”
General Kurilla added that the existence of safe havens in Afghanistan for extremist militant groups increases the risk of their activities escalating and could lead to regional conflicts.
He stated, “Extremist organizations killed 2,300 Pakistanis in 2023. Meanwhile, the Pakistani Taliban carried out 881 attacks in Pakistan, which is a high figure in the last five years.”
“The inability or reluctance of the Afghan Taliban to control extremist groups could destabilize Central and South Asia,” he continued.
The CENTCOM commander in the US Senate mentioned that terrorist groups take advantage of the “weak economic situation, not so serious governance in Afghanistan, and an advanced network of recruitment.”
The Pakistani Taliban has carried out bloody attacks against the army and police forces in Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Meanwhile, the escalation of these attacks has also deteriorated the relationship between the Taliban and Islamabad.
Islamabad expelled more than half a million Afghan refugees from its territory and openly criticized and threatened the Taliban to pressure the Afghan Taliban to cooperate in containing the TTP.
Following that, the attacks by the Pakistani Taliban decreased, and once again, the topic of negotiations between the Pakistani Taliban and Islamabad has been brought up.
The security landscape in Afghanistan and its surrounding countries remains precarious, deeply influenced by the actions and policies of the Afghan Taliban. Since their return to power, the Taliban’s approach towards extremist groups within their borders has had significant implications for regional stability. Their reluctance to combat or limit the activities of groups like the TTP not only fuels insurgency in Pakistan but also raises concerns for Central Asian countries wary of the spillover effects of terrorism and radicalization.
However, the complex nexus of geopolitical interests, historical ties, and the varying capacities of these countries to influence the situation in Afghanistan presents a challenging puzzle for regional security dynamics.
The international community, particularly key players like the United States, Russia, China, and regional stakeholders, are recalibrating their strategies in response to the evolving security landscape in Afghanistan and its ripple effects on neighboring countries.
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