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The Persian Strait Gulf Authority said "the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked and will not be reopened until Iran's conditions are accepted."

p Taliban chief reportedly warned outfit to halt attacks or risk losing supportbr UN report points to training links involving TTP, BLA, Al Qaedabr ISIL-K attacks decline in Afghanistan, but increase in Pakistan/p pISLAMABAD: The Afghan Talibans continued support for the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has contributed to a rise in the frequency and lethality of terrorist attacks in Pakistan, even as Kabul has taken some initial steps to rein in the group, according to a a rel"noopener noreferrer" target"_blank" class"link--external" href"https://docs.un.org/en/S/2026/651"UN Security Council-mandated monitoring report./a/p pThe report also points to growing operational and facilitation linkages among the TTP, Al Qaeda, Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIL-K) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA)./p pThe 38th report of the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, covering the period from Dec 16, 2025, to June 9, 2026, said that cross-border attacks between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated, provoked by a high number of attacks by Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan against Pakistan./p pLike previous editions, the report was unequivocal in its assessment of Kabuls role, saying that the de facto authorities (Taliban) continued their support to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which escalated attacks against Pakistan, provoking military exchanges./p pIt noted concern among member states that the continuing conflict could create opportunities for terrorist groups and generate additional security challenges for the region./p pstrongTalibans dual-track approach/strong/p pThe assessment nevertheless recorded some initial steps by the Taliban authorities to contain the TTP, although these appeared aimed more at managing the group than dismantling its infrastructure./p pThe report said Afghan authorities had relocated around 2,000 TTP fighters and their families from areas along the Pakistani border to deeper inside Afghanistan in an effort to rein in the group./p pIt also said Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada had warned the TTP leadership through backchannel communications to halt attacks against Pakistan or risk losing Taliban support./p pThe developments point to what appears to be a dual-track Taliban approach, continuing to provide the TTP space and support because of shared ideological ties while moving some fighters away from the border to reduce attacks on Pakistan, avoid a major escalation with Islamabad and address growing international concerns./p pFor Pakistan, however, relocating fighters deeper inside Afghanistan would do little to address the underlying problem as long as the TTPs command, training and logistical networks remain intact./p pMeanwhile, the TTP has continued to expand its organisational structure and operational reach./p pThe report said that following its annual rahbari shura in December, the group announced a revised structure with two new divisions covering Balochistan and the central region, and Kashmir and Gilgit./p pThe restructuring also included a new division described by the group as the TTP Air Force, suggesting an effort to broaden its operational capabilities./p pIn March, the group announced in several languages its spring campaign, Operation Khyber, calling for increased attacks against Pakistani security forces and civilians./p pOne of its deadliest attacks during the reporting period came on Feb 16 in Bajaur, where a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device a href"https://www.dawn.com/news/1973886"martyred /a11 security personnel and a child and wounded others. The TTP claimed responsibility and was reportedly operating from Afghanistan, the report said./p pstrongBlurred lines/strong/p pThe UN assessment also points to increasingly blurred lines between terrorist groups operating in and from Afghanistan./p pAl Qaedas official media outlet, emAs-Sahab/em Media Foundation, issued a statement on April 28 supporting the Taliban and, for the first time, backing the TTP in its operations against Pakistan./p pThe report said that while Al Qaeda had previously provided ideological guidance, training and support to the TTP, the latest statement represented more direct backing./p pOne member state reported that BLA terrorists were trained along with TTP by Al Qaeda trainers in Afghanistan, it said./p pThe report also noted that Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) formed the backbone of Ittihadul Mujahideen Pakistan, which was reportedly involved in several attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa./p pAQIS leadership was reported to remain in Kabul after being issued tazkiras, suggesting close cooperation between the Taliban and AQIS, according to the report./p pThe assessment thus points towards a wider militant ecosystem rather than an isolated TTP problem, with training, facilitation and logistical networks increasingly cutting across organisational boundaries./p pISIL-K remains another major component of the threat. The report described it as the greatest threat to the Taliban authorities and the region, despite serious setbacks suffered as a result of counterterrorism operations by Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban./p pISIL-K was reported to have moved its operational infrastructure towards northern Afghanistan while dispersing training networks across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and retaining a presence in the suburbs of Kabul./p pThe UN report said ISIL-K was in a rebuilding phase, having shifted from attempts to hold territory to conducting fewer but high-profile, mass-casualty attacks, demonstrating resilience and adaptability./p pMember states reported that the group possessed modern tactical equipment, including drones, night-vision devices and thermal imagers, and had received training in urban combat and the use of drones./p pOne member state also reported that ISIL-K and the BLA shared facilitation networks for logistics./p pThe report said ISIL-K attacks had declined in Afghanistan but increased in Pakistan./p pOn Feb 6, a suicide bombera href"https://www.dawn.com/news/1971569" detonated /aexplosives during Friday prayers at the Khadija Tul Kubra Mosque of the Shia community in Islamabad, killing 32 people and injuring more than 150. The attack was claimed by a group calling itself ISIL in Pakistan but was likely conducted by ISIL-K, the report said./p pThe group also claimed responsibility for the May 5a href"https://www.dawn.com/news/1997685" assassination/a of Pakistani cleric Sheikh Muhammad Idrees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa./p pThe findings suggest that the threat facing Pakistan from Afghanistan is becoming more complex, with the TTP retaining Taliban ideological and logistical support, Al Qaeda providing training and ideological backing and ISIL-K and the BLA benefiting from overlapping facilitation networks./p pThe Talibans reported relocation of TTP fighters and warning to its leadership may reduce immediate pressure along the border, but the UN assessment does not suggest that Kabul has taken the more consequential step of severing its relationship with the group./p pemPublished in Dawn, August 13th, 2026/em/p

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