The Taliban Host Terrorist Groups: Four New Settlements Built for Al-Qaeda and TTP - Afghan media

[Asfandyar Bhittani]

The Taliban Host Terrorist Groups: Four New Settlements Built for Al-Qaeda and TTP​

30 June 2024 - ۱۴۰۳/۰۴/۱۰





The Hasht-e Subh Daily has obtained information indicating that the Taliban are constructing a well-equipped base with residential houses for the al-Qaeda network in the Malekuddin area of Nawa district, Ghazni province. Additionally, they are building three settlements for the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the Dasht-e Bagh-e Attar area of Qarabagh district, Dasht-e Kabuli area of Waghaz district, and Kotal-e Rouza on the outskirts of Ghazni city. These settlements, in addition to residential houses, also include large religious schools and equipped dormitories, with some nearing completion.
Simultaneously, TTP members have chosen specific areas in Ghazni for relocating their families, with plans to move there soon. One of the TTP factions relocating to Ghazni is led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a TTP commander who has carried out extensive attacks against the Pakistani military. Furthermore, the findings of this report indicate that Haji Furqan (Uighur), a commander of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) and a senior member of al-Qaeda, is residing in a guesthouse of Sirajuddin Haqqani in the Sherpur area of Kabul.

The findings from the Hasht-e Subh Daily in Ghazni province show that the Taliban are engaged in constructing four residential settlements with large religious schools and other security measures for the relocation of al-Qaeda and TTP members. According to the report, the construction of some of these settlements and religious schools in Ghazni is nearing completion. Information suggests that a settlement with a Madrasa in the Nawa district of Ghazni is being built for al-Qaeda, while the other three settlements are exclusively for TTP members and will soon be operational. The report also indicates that alongside the residential settlements, the Taliban have constructed large religious school buildings with all amenities, funded by the Haqqani network.

Taliban Settlement for al-Qaeda in Nawa District, Ghazni Province

Nawa, a strategic and important district for the Taliban in Ghazni, has been a major supply center for the Taliban and other terrorist groups over the past 20 years. This district, which has transportation links to several other provinces and is close to the Pakistan border, holds significant strategic value.
The Hasht-e Subh Daily has found that the Taliban have established one of al-Qaeda’s bases in this district due to its strategic importance. According to the report, the allocation of land, construction materials, logistics, and other necessities for this settlement have been finalized, and construction is in full swing.

Informed sources, who wish to remain anonymous, confirm that an al-Qaeda base and recruitment center are nearing completion in the Malekuddin area of Nawa district. According to these sources, the Taliban have convinced residents of their intent to build a religious school. Still, in reality, they are constructing a military base and training center for al-Qaeda. They report that the construction of the residential settlement in this area began last summer and continues to this day.
Furthermore, the Taliban have called on residents of neighboring districts in Zabul and Paktika provinces to send their young people to this center for training. Sources emphasize that the construction of the religious school is nearing completion, and the construction of residential houses around it is progressing rapidly.
Construction of a Large, Advanced Madrasa in Nawa District, Ghazni Province
One of the Taliban’s projects in creating these settlements is building large schools with multi-million-dollar budgets. The Hasht-e Subh Daily has learned that the Haqqani network, led by Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s Minister of Interior, has finalized the construction of a large complex costing several million dollars, which will be completed soon. This complex includes a large religious school and an equipped dormitory. Near this religious school, dozens of residential houses for al-Qaeda members are also being constructed. Informed sources confirm to the Hasht-e Subh Daily that the Haqqani network has provided the budget for this settlement and Madrasa and is being advanced under the guise of a charitable organization.
Informed sources also confirm that a person named Mawlawi Salim Saad is responsible for the construction of the religious school and residential houses for al-Qaeda and the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Ghazni on behalf of the Haqqani network.
Residential Settlement for TTP in The Dasht-e Bagh-e Attar Area
One of the settlements that the Taliban have built for the TTP and al-Qaeda members is located in the Dasht-e Bagh-e Attar area of Qarabagh district, Ghazni. Sources report that the settlement has been constructed on Hazara-owned property, and the Taliban have ignored the requests and complaints of the Hazara residents in the area, continuing the construction for al-Qaeda and TTP. According to sources, houses have been built for 1,000 TTP families in this area, and these families are expected to relocate there soon. Photos of the construction progress have been obtained by the Hasht-e Subh Daily, showing that the settlement will be operational soon.
Alongside the construction in Dasht-e Bagh-e Attar, residents have protested and raised the issue with Taliban officials. The residents have met twice with Abdul Kabir, the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs, but these meetings and protests have led nowhere, and the settlement will be completed soon.
Meanwhile, some Taliban-affiliated social media users have published videos of this settlement, claiming it is being built for refugees. Approximately three months ago, Hafiz Saami, a Taliban user, posted photos of the settlement on Facebook, stating that the construction of 1,000 houses in the Qarabagh district was underway.
According to sources, the Taliban have told the people that this settlement is being built for returnees from Pakistan. However, no families of refugees expelled from Pakistan have been relocated to this area. The sources indicate that the Taliban refer to Waziri families from the Waziristan area of Pakistan as “refugees.” They also note that while the Taliban widely publicize even the smallest development projects on social media and other platforms, they are keeping this construction very secretive.
TTP Settlement in The Dasht-e Kabuli Area, Waghaz District
According to the report’s findings, the second residential settlement for members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has been constructed by the Taliban in the Dasht-e Kabuli area of Waghaz district, Ghazni province. This settlement is located near the transportation route linking the Waghaz district with the center of this province. It lies along a route frequently used by Hazaras.
Residents of these districts have stated that at the beginning of the settlement’s construction, they requested clarification from the Taliban. However, the group deceived the people, claiming that the settlement was being built for refugees expelled from Pakistan. Nevertheless, sources within the Taliban have confirmed that they have realized the settlement is for the TTP and that they are currently powerless to change the situation. This settlement spans 1,000 jeribs of land (about 494 acres) and is being built for 500 TTP families. It will soon be ready for use.
Distribution of Ghazni Teachers’ Residential Township to TTP Fighters
The third settlement that the Taliban have allocated to the TTP is the Ghazni Teachers’ Residential Township. Originally intended for homeless teachers in Ghazni, this area has now been turned into a settlement for TTP fighters. This township is located on the border of Khwaja Omari district in Ghazni and Wardak province, just a few steps from the Kabul-Kandahar highway near the Kotal-e Rouza area.
Some residents of Khwaja Omari district in Ghazni province state that this area has been under strict Taliban surveillance for the past year and no one is allowed to approach it.
Meanwhile, sources in the Taliban’s Directorate of Education in Ghazni say that the area was designated by the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing for the construction of a residential settlement for teachers, and preliminary work had begun. However, the area is now out of the ministry’s control and has been seized.
How Were the Construction Materials for These Settlements Procured?
Completing the work on four large settlements and thousands of residential houses with their amenities in Ghazni in less than a year might seem unlikely, but the Taliban are rapidly finalizing these settlements. From July last year until the weather turned cold, all construction companies, block-making firms, and carpentry workshops moved their production equipment to these areas.
According to informed sources, the Taliban purchased construction materials from these companies at prices higher than the market rate. In some cases, when the work pace increased and the capacity to produce construction materials in Ghazni fell short, the Taliban transferred materials and skilled laborers from Kabul to Ghazni. Several sources confirmed to the Hasht-e Subh Daily that for several months, they traveled from Kabul to Ghazni to work on these settlements.
Taliban Preparations for Relocating TTP to Ghazni Province
Sources confirm that the Taliban have made the necessary preparations to transfer members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and their families to Ghazni province. According to sources, some TTP families have already been moved to this province under various pretexts.
Additionally, sources from Paktika province confirm that after Pakistan’s air and ground attacks on parts of the Barmal district in Paktika and Spera district in Khost province, the Waziristanis in these areas are now ready to be relocated to Ghazni province. A resident of Barmal district in Paktika confirmed to the Hasht-e Subh Daily that some of these Waziristani refugees, with whom they have close relations, said they would be moved to a safe place.
Sources confirm that the Taliban’s settlement construction for TTP members began in May last year and is ongoing. Recently, representatives of TTP members and Waziristani refugees who had settled in the border areas of Paktika and Khost went to Ghazni and, under Taliban guidance, selected three areas for their bases and residences.
Sources in Ghazni confirm that the three areas chosen by the TTP for a living are properties belonging to the Hazara community in this province, which will suffer the most damage.
Which TTP Faction Is Being Relocated to Ghazni Province?
Informed sources confirmed to the Hasht-e Subh Daily that most of the TTP fighters and their families soon to be relocated from Pakistan’s border areas to Ghazni belong to Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a senior commander of the TTP. Hafiz Gul Bahadur is accused of carrying out deadly attacks on Pakistani security forces. According to Pakistani media reports, the government has repeatedly requested the Taliban to hand him over to Islamabad.
On Monday, November 27, 2023, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Taliban’s chargé d’affaires in Islamabad in connection with an attack in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which resulted in the deaths of several Pakistani soldiers. The ministry demanded that the Taliban arrest Hafiz Gul Bahadur, the leader of the TTP splinter group, and hand him over to Pakistan.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that Maulana Fazlur Rahman, the leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party in Pakistan, met with this TTP commander during his recent visit to Afghanistan. It appears that instead of handing over Hafiz Gul Bahadur to Pakistan, the outcome of these meetings was to move him away from the border area. In his latest statements, Bahadur claimed that the “Islamic Emirate” would govern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within a few months.
Additionally, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has threatened that under the new military “Operation Azm-e-Istehkam” (Resolve for Stability), Pakistani Taliban sanctuaries outside Pakistan will be targeted. He has repeatedly accused the Taliban of harboring TTP fighters in Afghanistan.
Relocation of TTP Members to Other Parts of Afghanistan at Pakistan’s Request
Previously, the Pakistani government announced an agreement with the Taliban to relocate TTP members from border areas to remote provinces of Afghanistan. This was stated by Rana Sanaullah, Pakistan’s former interior minister.
At that time, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban regime’s spokesperson, mentioned that Pakistani refugees would be moved from border areas to other parts of Afghanistan without specifying any particular province.
The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan and several political figures claimed to have shocking reports about the relocation of TTP members to northern Afghanistan. They expressed concern, stating that the Taliban aimed to alter the social and ethnic composition of Afghanistan.
The National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan, led by Abdul Rashid Dostum, also claimed that unidentified families had been resettled in parts of northern Afghanistan, particularly in the provinces of Takhar, Kunduz, and Faryab.
Support for Al-Qaeda Members and Their Relocation to Kabul
Haji Furqan (Uyghur), the general commander of the military fronts of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement and a senior Al-Qaeda member, is currently a special guest of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s interior minister. He previously lived in Fayzabad, the capital of Badakhshan province, and Pul-e-Khomri, the capital of Baghlan province.
Reliable sources told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that Haji Furqan now resides in the Sherpur area of Kabul, on the street opposite the former office of the Haq and Adalat Party. According to these sources, all his living expenses in this area are covered by Sirajuddin Haqqani, and he remains under his protection in Kabul.
Sources also reported that his forces, which previously fought alongside the Taliban against the former security forces and NATO, are now present in the provinces of Faryab, Jawzjan, Baghlan, around the Kokcha river, and Badakhshan. A significant portion of these forces are funded by mining activities, especially gold mines in the provinces of Takhar and Badakhshan, and they play a key role in mineral smuggling.
Sources previously told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that Haji Furqan had married in Badakhshan and had obtained Afghan identity cards and passports under a false name. He is considered a senior member of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, Abdul Haq al-Turkistani, the leader of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement and a senior Al-Qaeda member, is also present in Afghanistan.
The East Turkistan Islamic Movement consists of Chinese Uyghurs who aim to liberate the Xinjiang region in western China to establish an Islamic government. China refers to this group as the “East Turkistan Islamic Movement” and considers it a serious threat to its national security.
Previously, Andrei Belousov, the Russian defense minister, expressed deep concern at the Collective Security Treaty Organization’s (CSTO) Council of Defense Ministers meeting in Kazakhstan about the concentration of extremist groups along Afghanistan’s northern borders with Central Asia. He emphasized that Afghanistan under Taliban rule remains a primary source of instability in Central Asia.
Additionally, Kamchybek Tashiev, the head of Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security, stated at the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) security meeting in Bishkek that the increasing presence of terrorist groups in northern Afghanistan poses a threat to the southern borders of CIS countries.
The Taliban’s Dual Strategy with the World
In the Doha Agreement, the Taliban committed to severing ties with other terrorist groups, including Al-Qaeda. However, nearly three years on, credible international organizations, including the United Nations Security Council, have published numerous reports revealing the deep and extensive relationship between Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. According to these reports, several senior Al-Qaeda officials have been appointed to various government positions by the Taliban and are freely engaged in recruitment and strengthening their ranks.
Taliban’s Relationship with Al-Qaeda and Other Terrorist Groups
The UN Security Council’s Analytical and Sanctions Monitoring Team previously reported that Al-Qaeda has established eight new training camps in Afghanistan. These camps are located in the provinces of Parwan, Ghazni, Laghman, and Uruzgan.
Foreign Policy, citing a confidential diplomatic report, stated that the Taliban provide everything from women to weapons, housing, and passports for Al-Qaeda leaders and operatives. The report indicates that the Taliban helped Al-Qaeda access a vast “heroin empire” network.
The report also notes that the extensive drug trafficking network, which funded the Taliban’s war against the former government over the past two decades, is now accessible to Al-Qaeda. Following the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021, the trafficking routes for methamphetamines, weapons, cash, and gold have been altered. Militants from Yemen, Libya, Somalia, and Palestine are also moving through Al-Qaeda training camps, which have been revived since the Taliban’s takeover, with their security ensured by the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence.
The report further reveals that Al-Qaeda has looted $195 million worth of gold from mines in Badakhshan and Takhar provinces over the past two years. Al-Qaeda reportedly earns several million dollars weekly from these gold mines.
Foreign Policy has disclosed parts of this confidential diplomatic report, showing that Al-Qaeda receives 25% of the revenue from these mines and had earned $194.4 million from 2022 until the report’s publication. According to the report, Al-Qaeda’s monthly share of the gold mine revenues in the two provinces amounts to $25 million.
To extract these minerals, Al-Qaeda employs tens of thousands of workers, protected by “Taliban-friendly warlords.” The report examines 11 gold mines where Al-Qaeda is involved. The revenue is divided between two Taliban factions: Sirajuddin Haqqani’s faction in Kabul and Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada’s faction in Kandahar, each seeking to maintain their relationship with Al-Qaeda.
Previously, the Hasht-e Subh Daily’s investigative report found that the Taliban have extensively supported foreign jihadists in Afghanistan. The findings indicate that groups like the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, Tajikistan’s Ansarullah, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and several others receive Taliban support, with many obtaining Afghan identity cards and marrying local women.
Ahmad Zia Saraj, the former head of Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS), told the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point (CTC) that global jihadist groups have had the opportunity to regroup in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and prepare for future attacks worldwide. Saraj emphasized that Al-Qaeda has turned Afghanistan into its command and control center, with its members serving as advisors in Taliban-controlled ministries. He noted that the Taliban have issued Afghan passports to Al-Qaeda members, saying, “Many prominent Taliban figures are more Al-Qaeda than Taliban.” He identified key Al-Qaeda figures within the Taliban regime, including Qari Baryal, the Taliban governor of Kapisa province, Mawlawi Noor Jalal, the current acting Minister of Public Health and former Deputy Minister of Interior, Mohammad Agha Hakim, the Taliban governor of Panjshir province, and Tajmir Jawad, the first deputy head of Taliban Directorate of Intelligence.
Furthermore, Rahmatullah Nabil, the former head of Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS), told the Hasht-e Subh Daily, “Al-Qaeda acts as the godfather of all terrorist groups.” According to him, Al-Qaeda has not yet taken a public stance and is waiting for the right opportunity.
You can read the Persian version of this investigative report here:
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