According to The Economic Times, Syrian Islamists of Central Asian origin who previously fought in the Syrian conflict have now been identified in Afghanistan, raising serious concerns among the Taliban, Central Asian nations, and India.
These Islamists are reportedly based in the Afghan provinces of Badakhshan, Baghlan, and Herat, posing a threat to local security. Their activities are feared to potentially spill over into Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and India.
Even Kyrgyzstan, which does not share a border with Afghanistan, has expressed concerns over growing radical activity. Since the beginning of the year, it has thwarted two coup attempts linked to foreign actors.
Tajikistan also faces a threat from ISIS, which recently released a video threatening the Dushanbe government. In this context, Russia has removed the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations, apparently aiming to secure Taliban cooperation in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.
According to The Economic Times, ISIS is attempting to strengthen its foothold in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region in order to target both the secular regimes of Central Asia and the Taliban. Reports suggest that ISIS is receiving training in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, allegedly with the backing of the Pakistani military.
The group Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is currently active within the governmental structure of Bangladesh, has also gained influence in Kyrgyzstan.
India is closely monitoring the developments along Afghanistan’s borders with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan due to concerns over the potential resurgence of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), especially after the change of power in Syria and the rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
According to informed sources, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are particularly worried about the growing influence of extremists connected with Syrian Islamists who are operating from within Afghanistan to destabilize secular governments in Central Asia.
The recent gains made by Islamists in Syria have inspired extremists in Central Asia—particularly in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
A report released in January revealed that Saifuddin Tajiboyev, a Tajik national, was appointed to the Islamist army in Syria and may become a key figure in terrorist activities across Central Asia.
The report further stated that Tajiboyev’s appointment as Chief of Operations at the Ministry of Defense of the new Syrian government was warmly welcomed by extremists from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Afghanistan.
