Pakistan Claims Most TTP and BLA Militants Are Afghans
Talal Chaudhry, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior, claimed on Saturday, September 27, that the presence of Afghan nationals within extremist groups such as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has risen dramatically, now making up 70 to 80 percent of their ranks.
According to him, in the past only 30 to 50 percent of these groups’ members were Afghans, but the figure has now reached alarming levels. He warned that Pakistan would act firmly against these militants, using what he described as the “language of bullets.”
Pakistani officials have repeatedly accused Afghanistan of harboring militant groups—allegations the Taliban authorities typically deny. However, both regional states and international organizations have often voiced concern over the growing activities of insurgent groups in Afghanistan’s current environment.
The Taliban have proven either unable or unwilling to control the borders and curb the activities of armed groups, particularly in Afghanistan’s eastern regions. This situation has prompted neighboring countries, including Pakistan, to increase diplomatic and security pressure on the Taliban.
While the Taliban claim to have ensured national security, ongoing reports of deadly attacks on both sides of the border have cast serious doubts on those assertions. Public opinion continues to question why the Taliban lack transparency and accountability in addressing the threat of militant groups.
