Islamabad: US-led forces in Afghanistan
have detected an influx of Lashker-e-Taiba operatives in
Nangarhar province and arrested several persons associated
with the move to send Pakistani militants to fight alongside
the Taliban.
Though the International Security Assistance Force has
publicly acknowledged the presence of LeT operatives in
Afghanistan for the first time, members of the Pakistan-based
group were involved in an attack in Nuristan province on July
13, 2008 that killed nine American soldiers.
Over the past few days, the ISAF and the US Department
of Defence issued several statements that referred to the
influx of LeT operatives in Nangarhar province, which borders
Pakistan`s Khyber tribal region.
The Pakistani Taliban and several other banned groups
are active in Khyber Agency.
The ISAF identified the LeT as "the Pakistani-based
terrorist organisation responsible for the November 2008
Mumbai attacks".
On July 2, Afghan and international security forces
captured a Taliban commander in Nangarhar who "assisted with
the recent influx of LeT insurgents into the province".
The commander was detained along with a facilitator
and two suspected insurgents during a search operation near
Khermane village in Khogyani district.
Five days later, Afghan and international troops
captured another Taliban commander linked to the "Taliban emir
of Khogyani district and associated with the recent influx of
LeT operatives" into Nangarhar.
The commander was captured during an operation in
Khogyani district.
The ISAF said troops had detained several suspected
insurgents in Hakimabad village of Khugyani district while
pursuing the Taliban commander who "facilitates foreign
fighters in the district".
Several recent statements issued by the ISAF have also
referred to the links between the Afghan Taliban and their
Pakistani counterparts as well as militant commanders based in
Pakistan`s tribal belt, including the Haqqani network based in
North Waziristan and Mullah Nazir based in South Waziristan.
On July 7, the ISAF said it had captured two suspects
while conducting a search for an Afghan Taliban commander with
links in Pakistan.
The search operation was mounted in Gelan district of
Ghazni province.
"An Afghan-international security force detained two
suspected insurgents in Ghazni province... while pursuing a
Taliban commander who is responsible for smuggling Pakistani,
Chechen and Arab fighters and improvised explosive device
materials into Shah Joy district from Pakistan," said an
official statement.
PTI
