south-asian-militant-groups-and-global-jihad-in-2015
south-asian-militant-groups-and-global-jihad-in-2015
south-asian-militant-groups-and-global-jihad-in-2015
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QUILL IAM<br />
Afghanistan<br />
1. After the Taliban, Hezb-i-Islami (HIG) is the second largest terrorist<br />
group <strong>in</strong> Afghanistan: 36<br />
The group’s ideology stems from both the ideologues of the Muslim<br />
Brotherhood, <strong>and</strong> Abul A’la Maudadi’s Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI). The<br />
group seeks to emulate the Ikhwan of Saudi Arabia, <strong>and</strong> replace<br />
various tribal factions with one unified Islamic state. This ideology<br />
is <strong>in</strong> direct contrast to the Taliban’s approach <strong>in</strong> Afghanistan, which<br />
focuses on the sustenance of tribal structures <strong>and</strong> orientations.<br />
Today, the non-violent faction of HIG is registered as a political<br />
party <strong>in</strong> Afghanistan.<br />
HIG has been responsible for two major attacks: a suicide attack <strong>in</strong><br />
Kabul <strong>in</strong> 2010, carried out by a young woman who killed n<strong>in</strong>e<br />
people, <strong>and</strong> an attack <strong>in</strong> Kabul <strong>in</strong> May 2013, which killed 16 people.<br />
It is estimated that the group’s military component consists of<br />
1,000 fighters, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g part-time fighters. 37<br />
2. Haqqani Network is an Islamist <strong>in</strong>surgent group:<br />
Initially, the group was nurtured by the CIA <strong>and</strong> ISI dur<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
1980’s Soviet War <strong>in</strong> Afghanistan. It was banned by Pakistan <strong>in</strong><br />
January <strong>2015</strong>, follow<strong>in</strong>g the Peshawar school attacks by the<br />
Taliban <strong>in</strong> December 2014. The group is seen as an important<br />
Taliban ally, <strong>and</strong> has collaborated with Al-Qaeda. 38 Al-Qaeda’s<br />
goals are <strong>global</strong> <strong>and</strong> use <strong>global</strong> means; whereas Haqqani Network<br />
is <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong> Afghanistan <strong>and</strong> the Pashtun Tribal regions.<br />
Previous attacks have <strong>in</strong>cluded suicide bomb<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> the<br />
Intercont<strong>in</strong>ental Hotel <strong>in</strong> Kabul <strong>in</strong> 2011, <strong>and</strong> bomb<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> Kabul <strong>in</strong><br />
late 2014 that killed two US soldiers. In total, the group has<br />
conducted 66 terrorist attacks from September 2006 to September<br />
2013. 39<br />
The number of fighters with<strong>in</strong> the Haqqani Network varies<br />
between 4,000 <strong>and</strong> 12,000 people, with up to 10,000-15,000<br />
fighters claim<strong>in</strong>g allegiance. 40<br />
The New York Times reported that <strong>in</strong> September 2011, the<br />
Haqqanis have set up a "m<strong>in</strong>i-state" <strong>in</strong> Miranshah with courts, tax<br />
offices <strong>and</strong> madrassahs, <strong>and</strong> that the network runs a series of front<br />
companies sell<strong>in</strong>g automobiles <strong>and</strong> real estate. 41 They also receive<br />
funds from extortion, kidnapp<strong>in</strong>gs, <strong>and</strong> smuggl<strong>in</strong>g operations<br />
throughout eastern Afghanistan.<br />
20