UNITED NATIONS: Al-Qaida is providing support to militant groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Balochistan Liberation Army, for activities targeting Pakistan from Afghanistan, according to a United Nations report.
The report said links between militant networks operating from Afghanistan and terrorist attacks in Pakistan have increased.
Following al-Qaida’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2001, its fighters moved into Pakistan’s tribal areas, where the TTP provided them shelter. The relationship between the two groups has strengthened since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
According to the UN report, al-Qaida has helped the TTP improve its strategy, training and propaganda capabilities. In April, al-Qaida’s media wing publicly expressed support for TTP operations against Pakistan for the first time.
US professor Amira Jadoon said the relationship between the two groups ranges from operational assistance at the grassroots level to greater integration of their narratives at senior levels.
A research consultant said al-Qaida has also been urging the Pakistani Taliban since 2020 to dissolve its separate organizational structure and merge with al-Qaida.
Some experts believe pressure from Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities may also be contributing to the relationship. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have provided various militant groups with shelter, housing and financial support, according to the report.
The UN said al-Qaida’s support is not limited to the TTP and also extends to other militant groups, including the BLA and Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan.
Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent has reportedly provided training and strategic assistance to Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan.
Experts, however, say al-Qaida and the TTP have different objectives and strategies. Despite those differences, their ideological similarities have allowed cooperation in areas including media, propaganda, training and logistical support.
The United Nations designated al-Qaida in December 2025 as a “service provider” to militant groups operating in Afghanistan, saying the organization provides training, advice and logistical support.
