The former Afghan army general, Sami Sadat, recently claimed that if he were to decide, he could cause the fall of several provinces with just one phone call. These remarks quickly gained widespread attention on social media and sparked various reactions.
Sadat also claimed that one of the prominent figures of the Al-Qaeda branch in the Indian subcontinent, Osama Mahmoud, known as “Abu Zar,” is living in Kandahar province. According to him, this individual, originally from Peshawar, Pakistan, is in Afghanistan along with his deputy, “Atif,” and is actively involved in activities there.
The former military official further stated that Osama Mahmoud occasionally travels to Iran, but the primary centers for training and activities of this network are located in the provinces of Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar, and Farah. He added that a significant number of leaders and resources of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan group are also based inside Afghanistan.
These statements come amid a recent UN Security Council report which stated that after the withdrawal of US forces, Al-Qaeda has quietly resumed its activities in Afghanistan, setting up several new training camps and centers.
According to the report, Al-Qaeda has established at least eight new camps in Afghanistan and has maintained its ties with the Taliban. It is also reported that the network has active centers in provinces such as Ghazni, Laghman, Parwan, and Urozgan, and has set up an arms depot in Panjshir.
Al-Qaeda was weakened after the death of its leader, Osama bin Laden, in 2011 in Pakistan, but it has never been fully eradicated. Now, reports indicate that the group is working on rebuilding and expanding its operations in Afghanistan.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
