UNV Desk:
According to officials, the ISKP can front attacks for the Haqqani Network and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT). ISKP leader Aslam Farooqi, a Pakistani national with links to LeT and Pakistan’s Tehrik-e-Taliban was arrested by Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security along with 19 other terrorist cadres on April 5.
ISI,Haqqani Network,Afghanistan
Sirajuddin Haqqani-led Haqqani network (right) is trying to raise its participation in the Islamic State of Khorasan Province after the arrest of its chief Aslam Farooqui (left) (Agencies)
The Pakistani deep state is pushing the Haqqani Network to increase its stake in so-called Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) to retain its leverage on Afghanistan irrespective of the on-going peace process and maintain plausible deniability in future terror attacks in Af-Pak region, according to senior counter-terrorism officials.
According to officials, the ISKP can front attacks for the Haqqani Network and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT). ISKP leader Aslam Farooqi, a Pakistani national with links to LeT and Pakistan’s Tehrik-e-Taliban was arrested by Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security along with 19 other terrorist cadres on April 5.
Af-Pak watchers say that ISKP units in Kabul and the border province of Nangarhar are already under the firm control of former HQN commanders and Sirajuddin Haqqani, Deputy leader of Taliban, who are launching attacks on Afghan capital. Besides being part of the intelligence and reconnaissance gathering network, ISKP cadres are also attacking Kabul in tandem with the HQN group.
