ECONOMIC Reasons: As per reports coming out of the ITA itself, many of the transnational terrorist groups based in Afghanistan allegedly have access to large amounts of funds from unknown sources. Without questioning the source, the ITA, especially its leaders, appreciate the inflow of funds due to the severe economic and financial crisis in Afghanistan. Thus, they see the need to continue to host and look after the transnational terrorist groups in Afghanistan.
Use of these groups as influence tool: The Interim Taliban Authority is well aware of its deficits of leverage when dealing with neighbouring countries, regional countries and the international community. The Taliban are aware that they lag behind in terms of professional armies, air force, drone technology, intelligence capabilities, nuclear weapons, GDP and funds available to the Government.
However, the ITA believes that the presence of transnational terrorist groups that are the sworn enemies of neighbouring and regional countries gives it an immense amount of leverage when dealing with those countries. They are unlikely to let go of this leverage, simply at the request of neighbouring or regional countries.
Future safety
Fear of another invasion: Many leaders, commanders and foot soldiers of the Taliban are concerned that they might face another foreign invasion in the near future. The hardline policies of the senior Taliban leadership and the provision of asylum to foreign terrorist groups are among the reasons that have created a similar environment in Afghanistan to the one that existed before September 11, 2001. These Talibs who fear that another invasion may be imminent are either hosting or keeping a close relation with foreign terrorists, as they might need their support again in the near future, if the Taliban are militarily attacked from outside.
In conclusion it can be seen that here is a specific Taliban’s strategy to push TTP and transnational terrorists to FATA
While the Afghan Taliban intends to continue to host pro-Afghan Taliban terrorist groups secretly in Afghanistan, they are uncomfortable with the webs of anti-Taliban terrorist groups that are forming in eastern Afghanistan. The Afghan Taliban is also aware of the heavy price that they are paying for hosting the TTP, vis-à-vis Pakistan. As a solution, the ITA is assisting and promoting the TTP in their war against Pakistan, with the hope that the TTP will capture the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan and re-establish their bases in that region, which they had lost in the 2014 Zarb-e-Azb operation of the Pakistani army.
Transfer to FATA
The Afghan Taliban are also hopeful that the TTP will then facilitate the transfer of both the pro-Taliban terrorist groups from central Afghanistan and the anti- Taliban terrorist groups from eastern Afghanistan into the FATA region of Pakistan, creating a major problem for the Pakistani state, while allowing the Afghan Taliban to wash their hands from hostile terrorist groups. The ITA can then claim that they have rid Afghanistan from transnational terrorist groups.
Lastly, this particular matrix prevailing in Afghanistan is a serious concern for India to keep its eagle eye open and carefully watch the changing scenarios and then strategically formulate the steps in the said scenario.
