Documenting: Jihadist groups operating in Afghanistan

According to U.S. and Afghan administration, there are at least 20 terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan with a total of 50,000 or more militants fighting in their ranks.

A recent 2019 report by Department of Defense’s (DoD) Lead Inspector General highlighted some of the jihadist groups operating in Afghanistan. In this article, I have compiled information on most of the groups mentioned in the U.S. DoD report but at the same time I have also included some Afghanistan-based groups that have been ignored by the U.S. DoD.

This article may be updated in future with more groups.

Islamic State in Khorasan Province

ISKP operates in Afghanistan and also covered Pakistan and surrounding areas until recently when Islamic State announced Wilayat Pakistan and Wilayat al-Hind. Now ISKP is only in-charge for IS operations in Afghanistan.

ISKP leaders:

Abdul Rauf Aliza - Designation: Former Deputy Emir. Status: Dead.
Sheikh Abdul Hasib - Designation: Former Emir. Status: Dead.
Hafiz Saeed Khan alias Abu Saeed - Designation: Former Emir. Status: Dead.
Abu Saad Erhabi - Designation: Former Emir. Status: Dead.
Qari Hekmat - Field Commander. Status: Dead.
Mufti Nemat - Field Commander. Status: Surrendered.
Dawood Ahmad Sofi - Chief of Islamic State in Jammu & Kashmir (ISJK), a franchise that fell under ISKP before the announcement of Wilayah Hind. Status: Dead.
Gul Zaman - Designation: Senior commander in ISKP. Status: Dead.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: At least 3,000 to 5,000 active militants as per U.S. DoD.

Flag commonly used: ISKP uses the same black standard that is commonly used by IS and all its affiliates.

Allies:

Jundallah - a Pakistani jihadist group that also has some elements in Afghanistan.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (former ally) - a Pakistan-focused jihadist group largely based in Afghanistan. Remained allied with ISKP from 2014 to 2015.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al-Alami (disputed status) - LeJA initially pledged allegiance to IS before breaking away somewhere around 2017-18. However, a pro-IS faction within LeJA is still allied with ISKP as per Pakistani intelligence inputs.

Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan - A large portion of IMU pledged allegiance to IS in 2015 and became part of ISKP. However, some elements within IMU retained the name of the group along with its alliance with al-Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Militants from other groups: Hundreds of militants, along with commanders, from several other regional jihadist groups in the region like Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, Afghan Taliban, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, etc have joined ISKP over the years.

Haqqani Network

The Haqqani Network is an Afghan guerrilla insurgent group using asymmetric warfare to fight against US-led NATO forces and the government of Afghanistan. It operates mainly in Afghanistan but is also believed to have some presence in some border areas of Pakistan. The Haqqani Network pledged allegiance to the Taliban in 1995. Haqqani Network is also believed to have close ties with al-Qaeda. In the 1980s, the Haqqani network was one of the most favored CIA-funded anti-Soviet guerrilla groups by the Reagan administration. In 2012, the United States designated the Haqqani Network as a terrorist organization. In 2015, Pakistan also banned the Haqqani Network as part of its National Action Plan.

Haqqani Network leaders:

Jalaluddin Haqqani - Designation: Former Chief. Status: Deceased.
Sirajuddin Haqqani - Designation: Current Chief. Status: Alive and operational.
Badruddin Haqqani - Designation: Former Operational Commander. Status: Dead, killed in a drone strike in 2012.
Nasiruddin Haqqani - Designation: Key Financier. Status: Dead, killed in 2013 in Pakistan.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: At least 3,000 to 5,000 active militants as per U.S. DoD.

Flag commonly used: Haqqani Network uses the same white standard and black standard that is used by the Taliban and al-Qaeda.

White standard commonly used by the Afghan Taliban

Black standard commonly used by al-Qaeda

Allies:

Afghan Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) - Haqqani Network is embedded within the Afghan Taliban.

al-Qaeda - Haqqani Network maintains close links with al-Qaeda.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) used to operate mainly in Pakistan before Pakistani military’s Operation Zarb-e-Azb in 2014. However, following the operation, TTP started moving its operations to Afghanistan, which is where it is primarily based today with some sleeper cells and sympathizers left in Pakistan.

TTP is comprised of several smaller jihadist factions. In December 2007, about 13 groups united under the leadership of Baitullah Mehsud to form the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. Among the TTP’s stated objectives are resistance against the Pakistani state and the establishment of a “true Islamic state” in Pakistan. TTP largely depends on the tribal belt on both sides along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to draw its recruits. TTP draws ideological guidance from al-Qaeda and maintain close ties with it.

Officially, Afghan Taliban are not affiliated nor maintain any relation to TTP, although Afghan Taliban also do not carry out action against TTP since it moved operations to Afghanistan.

TTP leaders:

Baitullah Mehsud - Designation: Former emir (Dec. 2007 – Aug. 2009). Status: Dead.
Hakimullah Mehsud - Designation: Former emir (22 August 2009 – 1 November 2013). Status: Dead.
Maulana Fazlullah - Designation: Former emir (7 November 2013 – 12 June 2018). Status: Dead.
Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud - Designation: Present emir (current leader, 23 June 2018 – present). Status: Alive and operational.
Maulana Muhammad Ali Balti alias Muhammad Khurasani alias Mufti Khalid - Designation: Present spokesperson. Status: Alive.
Shahidullah Shahid - Former spokesperson of TTP before he joined Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP). Status: Dead.

Maulana Muhammad Ali Balti alias Muhammad Khurasani

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: At least 3,000 to 5,000 active militants as per U.S. DoD.

Flag commonly used: TTP used the white standard typically used by the Afghan Taliban until September 2018. The new TTP flag is a white and black standard with some similarity with the common black standard used by Islamic State.

Allies:

al-Qaeda - TTP maintains close links with al-Qaeda.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi - Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), which is now largely defunct in Pakistan after assassinations of its leaders by Pakistani security forces, was and is still allied with TTP. LeJ is also known as the Punjabi Taliban.

Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan - A large portion of IMU pledged allegiance to IS in 2015 and became part of ISKP. However, some elements within IMU retained the name of the group along with its alliance with al-Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar - Also known as JuA, the group splintered from TTP in 2014 over disagreement with TTP leadership over peace talks with Pakistani government. JuA became a large TTP faction after it merged with Ahrar-ul-Hind, another splinter group of TTP. Omar Khalid Khorasani was named the first emir of JuA. After breaking away from TTP, JuA pledged allegiance to Islamic State and became a part of the Khorasan Province or ISKP. But in 2015, JuA announced that is has once again pledged allegiance to the then TTP emir Mullah Fazlullah.

Hizbul Ahrar - Also known as HuA, it is a splinter group of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) and is unofficially allied with TTP. A statement released by HuA in early 2019 said that is open to collaboration with other jihadist groups. In the following months, HuA announced multiple joint operations with another jihadist group without naming it, however Pakistani intelligence officials believe that the group HuA was referring to is a faction within TTP that is collaborating with HuA with permission from top TTP leadership.

Afghanistan - Ever since TTP moved its operations to Afghanistan, it has been alleged by several analysts, as well as privately and publicly by Pakistani, Afghan and U.S. officials and former officials, that TTP receives support from Afghanistan’s intelligence service the NDS or National Directorate of Security. This alleged relationship between NDS and TTP is believed to be in counter to Pakistan’s alleged role in supporting the Afghan Taliban, a group which is fighting an insurgency against the government and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Afghan Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan)

The Taliban emerged in 1994 as one of the prominent factions in the Afghan Civil War. From 1996 to 2001, the Taliban held power over roughly three quarters of Afghanistan, and enforced there a strict interpretation of Sharia, or Islamic law. largely consisted of students (talib) from the Pashtun areas of eastern and southern Afghanistan who had been educated in traditional Islamic schools, and fought during the Soviet–Afghan War. At its peak, formal diplomatic recognition of the Taliban's government in Afghanistan was acknowledged by only three nations: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The group later regrouped as an insurgency movement to fight the American-backed Karzai administration and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in the War in Afghanistan.

Taliban’s leadership is believed to be based in Pakistan’s border areas by U.S. and Afghan officials. The Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence and military are widely alleged by the international community and the Afghan government to have provided support to the Taliban during their founding and time in power, and of continuing to support the Taliban during the insurgency. Pakistan states that it dropped all support for the group after the September 11 attacks.

A Jan 2019 U.S. government report by Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (Sigar) said that as of Oct. 31, 2018 the Afghan government controlled territory on which 63.5 percent of its population lived, a decrease of 1.7 percent from the previous quarter, while gains by the Taliban insurgency gave it control over territory that is home to 10.8 percent of the population. The report further said that only 53.8 percent of districts were “controlled or influenced” by the government, while 12.3 percent of the districts were under insurgent control or influence and 33.9 percent of districts were contested.

Taliban leaders:

Mullah Mohammed Omar - Designation: Former emir (founder, 1994–2013). Status: Deceased.

Akhtar Mansour - Designation: Former emir (2015–2016). Status: Deceased.
Hibatullah Akhundzada - Designation: Present emir (current leader, 2016–present). Status: Alive and operational.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar - Designation: Co-founder of Taliban, senior commander and former deputy to Mullah Omar. Status: Alive and operational.
Zabiullah Mujahid - Designation: Present spokesperson. Status: Alive and operational.
Qari Yousef Ahmadi - Designation: Present spokesperson. Status: Alive and operational.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: The Taliban are estimated to have somewhere 25,000 to 40,000 fighters in Afghanistan as per U.S. government reports.

Flag commonly used: Taliban use the white standard as its official flag.

Allies:

al-Qaeda - Afghan Taliban maintains close links with al-Qaeda.

Haqqani Network - Taliban maintains close relation with the Haqqani Network. Haqqani Network’s operatives fight while embedded in Taliban ranks.

Jaish-e-Mohammed - is a Pakistan-based Deobandi jihadist group active in Kashmir. The group's primary motive is to separate Kashmir from India and merge it into Pakistan. It maintains close ties with Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda.

Lashkar-e-Taiba - is one of the largest and most active Islamist militant organisations in South Asia, operating mainly from Pakistan and Afghanistan. It was founded in 1987 by Hafiz Saeed, Abdullah Azzam and Zafar Iqbal in Afghanistan, with funding from Osama bin Laden. Its headquarters are allegedly based in Muridke, near Lahore in Punjab province of Pakistan, and the group allegedly operates several training camps in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

East Turkestan Islamic Movement - Also known as Turkistan Islamic Party, the group is allied with Afghan Taliban.

Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi - Also known in English as the Movement for the Enforcement of Islamic Law or TNSM in short, the Pakistani militant group maintains close links with the Afghan Taliban. While the group is largely defunct now in Pakistan since its leader Sufi Muhammad renounced violence and was freed from a Pakistani jail in 2008, several of its fighters are still fighting in Afghanistan alongside the Taliban.

Caucus Emirate (status disputed) - was a militant Jihadist organisation active in the southwestern region of the Russian Federation. Its intention was to expel the Russian presence from the North Caucasus and to establish an independent Islamic emirate in the region. At the time of its peak, the group was allied with the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda. However, by 2015 the group went defunct after most of its fighters defected to the Islamic State. Some Chechen fighters from the group are still believed to be fighting alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin (former ally) - remained allied with the Afghan Taliban until 2016, when its leadership signed a peace deal with the Afghan government in Kabul under President Ghani.

Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan - A large portion of IMU pledged allegiance to IS in 2015 and became part of ISKP. However, some elements within IMU retained the name of the group along with its alliance with al-Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Islamic Jihad Union - The Islamic Jihad Union (also known as the Islamic Jihad Group) is a splinter faction of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, another al Qaeda-linked terror group that operates along the Afghan-Pakistani border, and was founded in 2002. Central Asians, Turks, and Germans make up a significant portion of the IJU. The German fighters are often referred to as German Taliban, and they have carried out attacks in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, Russia - These five countries are alleged to have supported or still supporting the Taliban on different levels by various parties. Afghan officials allege that Pakistan still supports the Taliban and that the leadership of Taliban is allegedly based in Pakistan. Pakistan states it stopped supporting the Taliban after 9/11 attacks. It is also alleged that Saudi Arabia was supporting the Taliban until as recently as 2013 and that some private Saudi citizens allegedly still financially support the group. Taliban maintain their political office in Qatar, another country that is alleged to have financially supported the Taliban. Iran is also believed to have supported the Taliban in multiple ways in an attempt to counter U.S. influence in its neighboring region. Russia, an old foe of the Taliban, has also mended its relations with the group and is currently alleged to be enjoying close relations with the Taliban in an attempt to counter U.S. influence in the region.

Islamic Emirate High Council

IEHC is a splinter group of Afghan Taliban, formed in 2015 by Mullah Rasul as a result of a disagreement over the ascension of Mullah Akhtar Mansour as leader of the Taliban. Before founding his own splinter group, Rasul was a Taliban-appointed governor of Nimruz Province in Afghanistan. Rasul exerted economic pressures on ethnic and religious minorities unpopular with the Taliban, and made a considerable fortune controlling cross-border drug-smuggling through Nimruz. He is said to have enjoyed close relations with former Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, and is considered to have been an "old and trusted friend" to him. Rasul's followers accused slain former emir of Taliban Mullah Akhtar Mansour of hijacking the movement due to personal greed. Rasul says that he and his supporters tried to persuade him to step down and let the new leader be chosen by the Taliban council, but Mansour refused. Rasul's group has voiced support for the actions of al-Qaeda and the Islamic State abroad however, he has stated that neither group is welcome in Afghanistan. The group is alleged to be a client of Iran and has also been reported of being supported by Afghan government though both the group and Afghan officials have denied this.

IEHC leaders:

Mullah Muhammad Rasul - Designation: Present Emir. Status: Alive and operational.

Abdul Manan Niazi - Designation: Present spokesperson. Status: Alive and operational.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: Islamic Emirate High Council is believed to have around 1,000 active fighters in Afghanistan according to U.S. government data.

Flag commonly used: IEHC largely uses the same white standard as the Afghan Taliban.

Allies:

al-Qaeda - IEHC emir Mullah Rasul has voiced support for al-Qaeda outside of Afghanistan.

Islamic State - IEHC emir Mullah Rasul has voiced support for IS outside of Afghanistan. But there have also been allegations by Afghan Taliban as well as local Afghan government officials that IEHC is very close to Islamic State’s Khorasan Province (ISKP).

Afghanistan - IEHC is also alleged to have some support from Afghan government in Kabul in an attempt to weaken the Afghan Taliban group.

Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan

A large portion of IMU pledged allegiance to IS in 2015 and became part of ISKP. However, some elements within IMU retained the name of the group along with its alliance with al-Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Remnants of IMU continue to fight alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan.

IMU has been designated as a terrorist organisation by: Australia, Canada, Russia, United Kingdom, European Union, United States of America.

IMU leaders:

Tahir Yuldashev - Designation: Co-founder and former leader. Status: Killed in action.
Juma Namangani - Designation: Co-founder and former leader. Status: Killed in action.
Abu Usman Adil - Designation: Former leader. Status: Killed in action.
Usman Ghazi - Designation: Former leader who later pledged allegiance to Islamic State along with a large portion of IMU fighters and commanders. Status: Killed in action.
Commander Abbos Mansoor - Designation: Military commander. Status: Killed in action.
Abdul Hakim al Tatari - Russian Tatar fighter who spent almost 15 years with IMU before joining Islamic State along with other IMU fighters and commanders. Status: Dead.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: IMU is estimated to have around 300 fighters in Afghanistan according to U.S. government data.

Flag commonly used: IMU uses the black standard commonly used by al-Qaeda.

Allies:

al-Qaeda - IMU maintains close links with al-Qaeda.

Islamic State - IMU fighters who defected to IS in 2015 are presently fighting alongside ISKP in Afghanistan.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan - IMU is also allied with TTP and has carried out joint attacks with TTP in Pakistan in the past.

East Turkestan Islamic Movement - Also known as Turkistan Islamic Party, the group is allied with IMU.

Caucus Emirate (status disputed) - was a militant Jihadist organisation active in the southwestern region of the Russian Federation. Its intention was to expel the Russian presence from the North Caucasus and to establish an independent Islamic emirate in the region. At the time of its peak, the group was allied with the Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda. However, by 2015 the group went defunct after most of its fighters defected to the Islamic State. Some Chechen fighters from the group are still believed to be fighting alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan.

al-Qaeda

al-Qaeda is a militant Sunni Islamist multi-national organization founded in 1988 by Osama bin Laden, Abdullah Azzam, and several other Arab volunteers during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The group maintains presence in Afghanistan to this date since before 9/11 attacks.

al-Qaeda leaders:

Osama bin Laden - Designation: Founder and former emir (1988–2011). Status: Dead.
Ayman al-Zawahiri - Designation: Present emir (2011–present). Status: Alive and operational.
Asim Umar, alias Asim Umer, alias Maulana Asim Umar, alias Sanaul Haq - Designation: Present emir of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent. Status: Alive and operational.
Usama Ibrahim alias Usama Mehmood - Designation: Present spokesperson of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent. Status: Alive and operational.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: al-Qaeda is believed to have around 300 fighters present in Afghanistan according to U.S. government data.

Flag commonly used: al-Qaeda commonly uses the black standard as its flag.

Allies:

Afghan Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) - Despite denial from Taliban, U.S. officials believe it still enjoys close ties with al-Qaeda.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan - [see above]

East Turkestan Islamic Movement - [see above]

Caucus Emirate (status disputed) - [see above]

Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan - [see above]

Islamic Jihad Union - [see above]

Haqqani Network - [see above]

Jaish-e-Mohammed - is a Pakistan-based Deobandi jihadist group active in Kashmir. The group's primary motive is to separate Kashmir from India and merge it into Pakistan. It maintains close ties with Afghan Taliban and al-Qaeda.

Jemaah Islamiyah - is a Southeast Asian militant extremist Islamist group dedicated to the establishment of an Islamic state in Southeast Asia. It has cells in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. The group has been designated as a terrorist group by the United Nations, Australia, Canada, China, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. It remained very active in Indonesia where it publicly maintained a website as of January 2013.

Lashkar-e-Taiba - is one of the largest and most active Islamist militant organisations in South Asia, operating mainly from Pakistan and Afghanistan. It was founded in 1987 by Hafiz Saeed, Abdullah Azzam and Zafar Iqbal in Afghanistan, with funding from Osama bin Laden. Its headquarters are allegedly based in Muridke, near Lahore in Punjab province of Pakistan, and the group allegedly operates several training camps in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

East Turkestan Islamic Movement (Turkistan Islamic Party)

Popularly known these days as the Turkistan Islamic Party (TIP), it is a jihadist organisation founded by Uyghur jihadists in western China, considered broadly as a terrorist group. Its stated goals are to establish an independent state called "East Turkestan" in Xinjiang. According to a Chinese report, published in 2002, between 1990 and 2001 the ETIM had committed over 200 acts of terrorism, resulting in at least 162 deaths and over 440 injuries. The group has been designated as a terrorist organization by the European Union, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, China, the United States, and Pakistan. Its Syrian branch is active in the Syrian Civil War.

ETIM leaders:

Zeydin Yusup - Designation: Founder and former leader. Status: Dead.
Hasan Mahsum - Designation: Founding member. Status: Dead.
Abdul Haq al-Turkistani - Designation: Present emir. Status: Alive and operational.
Emeti Yakuf alias Abdul Shakoor al-Turkistani - Designation: Former emir. Status: Believed to be dead.
Abdullah Mansour - Designation: Former emir and present deputy emir. Status: Believed to be alive.

Hasan Mahsum giving a lecture to Uyghur fighters in Afghanistan, 1998

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: According to U.S. government data, ETIM is believed to have around 100 active fighters embedded within the Afghan Taliban in Afghanistan.

Flag commonly used: Apart from its own flag, ETIM also sometimes uses the black standard used by al-Qaeda.

Allies:

Afghan Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) - [see above]

al-Qaeda - [see above]

Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan - [see above]

Lashkar-e-Taiba

It is one of the largest and most active Islamist militant organisations in South Asia, operating mainly from Pakistan and Afghanistan. It was founded in 1987 by Hafiz Saeed, Abdullah Azzam and Zafar Iqbal in Afghanistan, with funding from Osama bin Laden. Its headquarters are allegedly based in Muridke, near Lahore in Punjab province of Pakistan, and the group allegedly operates several training camps in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

The organisation is banned as a terrorist organization by India, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Russia, Australia, Pakistan and the United Nations (under the UNSC Resolution 1267 Al-Qaeda Sanctions List). Whilst LeT remains banned in Pakistan, the political arm of the group, Jamat ud Dawah (JuD) has remained un-banned for spans of time. As of February 2019, it is deemed as a proscribed organisation per an order of the Interior Ministry.

LeT leaders:

Hafiz Muhammad Saeed - living in Pakistan and is the founder of LeT and emir of its political arm, JuD.
Abdul Rehman Makki - living in Pakistan and is second in command of LeT. He is the brother-in-law of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed. Makki was arrested in May 2019 by Pakistani authorities.
Zarrar Shah - remains in Pakistani custody and is believed to be a "central character" in the planning behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks by U.S. officials.
David Headley - conspired in plotting the 2008 Mumbai attacks. He is currently in jail in the United States of America.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: LeT has around 300 active militants in Afghanistan, according to U.S. government data.

Flag commonly used: LeT uses its own version of white and black standard.

Allies:

Afghan Taliban (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) - LeT supports the Afghan Taliban in Afghanistan.

al-Qaeda - LeT is also alleged to have developed ties with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.
Islamic State - Some LeT militants have defected to the IS branch in Afghanistan.

Jaish-e-Mohammed - LeT is alleged to have close links with JeM.

Hizb-ul-Mujahideen - LeT maintains close ties with Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and has carried out several joint operations in India-administered Kashmir.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar

Also known as JuA, the group splintered from TTP in 2014 over disagreement with TTP leadership over peace talks with Pakistani government. JuA became a large TTP faction after it merged with Ahrar-ul-Hind, another splinter group of TTP. Omar Khalid Khorasani was named the first emir of JuA. After breaking away from TTP, JuA pledged allegiance to Islamic State and became a part of the Khorasan Province or ISKP. But in 2015, JuA announced that is has once again pledged allegiance to the then TTP emir Mullah Fazlullah. Today the group primarily operates from Afghanistan but has not claimed any attack in Pakistan in almost two years.

JuA leaders:

Omar Khalid Khurasani - Designation: Present emir. Status: Believed to be still alive somewhere in Afghanistan. There’s a $3 million bounty on him by U.S. government.

Asad Mansoor - Designation: Former spokesperson. Status: Surrendered to Pakistani security forces in 2018.

Ehsanullah Ehsan - Designation: Former spokesperson. He surrendered himself to Pakistan's security forces in April 2017.

Abu Jandal - Senior commander with JuA who was killed in an operation by Pakistani security forces in Khyber Agency in 2015.

Ehsanullah Ehsan, former spokesperson of JuA who later surrendered to Pakistani state

Asad Mansoor, former spokesperson of JuA who also later surrendered to Pakistani forces

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: According to U.S. government data, around 200 JuA militants are present in Afghanistan.
Flag commonly used: JuA uses the white standard commonly used by the Taliban.

Allies:

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan - JuA splintered from TTP in 2014 before rejoining it in 2015.

Islamic State - JuA briefly remained allied to IS branch in Afghanistan before rejoining TTP.

Hizbul Ahrar

Also known as HuA, the group is a splinter of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and was formed on 11 November 2017 in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan while an official announcement of its formation was made via a video on 12 November. Militant commander Mukarram Khan alias Omar Khurasani, who used to be with JuA before, was made the emir of the group.

Mukkaram Khan, who belongs to Mohmand Agency of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, in his first video message said that Jamaat-ul-Ahrar was involved in anti-Islamic acts committed in the name of jihad, thus compelling them to start their own group. In this respect, he particularly mentioned terrorist attacks against National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) office in Mardan, attack on security forces at Wahga border, attacks in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park Lahore, which claimed the lives of many Christians, and other such attacks carried out around the country. He said that these terrorist attacks had cost the lives of innocent people, including women and children. In the video he recalled that Jamata-ul-Ahrar had claimed responsibility for all these attacks. He claimed that he had made attempts to bring reforms in JuA, but failed to achieve any success. He also accused Khalid Khurasani, chief of JuA, of attacking him in which he was also injured. He claimed that a number of leading commanders have also announced disassociation from the JuA, and now they were a part of Hizb-ul-Ahrar.

In April 2018, Hizbul Ahrar launched Operation Ibne Qasim or Bin Qasim against the Pakistani security forces and other state apparatus, which apparently concluded by the end of 2018. In February 2019, Hizbul Ahrar announced a new operation against Pakistani security forces dubbed as Operation Shamzai. HuA’s second operation is still ongoing and HuA has so far claimed dozens of attacks in Pakistan as part of this operation.

HuA leaders:

Mukarram Khan alias Omar Khurasani - Designation: Present emir. Status: Alive.

Dr Aziz Yousafzai - Designation: Present spokesperson. Status: Alive.

Jihadyar Mehsud - Designation: Military Wing chief. Status: Dead.

Muslimyar - Designation: Financial Commission chief. Status: Unknown.

Haji Rashid - Designation: Political Commission chief. Status: Unknown.

Imran Aurakzai - Designation: Commander for HuA for Mohmand Agency. Status: Unknown.

Umar Kamal Bajauri - Designation: Commander for HuA for Bajaur Agency. Status: Dead.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: The U.S. government appears to have largely ignored Hizbul Ahrar in its reports even though the group was formed in Afghanistan and continues to function from Afghanistan, my sources estimate the number of Hizbul Ahrar fighters present in Afghanistan somewhere around 100-300.

Flag commonly used: HuA uses its own version of white and black standard.

Tariq Gidar Group

The Tariq Gidar Group (TGG) is a splinter group of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The group was formed in Darra Adam Khel, Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA), Pakistan, in 2007.

The TGG has carried out numerous terrorist attacks in different areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in Pakistan. Among the multiple large-scale, fatal attacks for which the TGG is responsible is the December 16, 2014, massacre at the Army Public School in Peshawar, Pakistan, that left 132 schoolchildren and nine staffers dead—the deadliest terrorist attack in Pakistan’s history. The group’s leader is also known as the mastermind of the January 2016 attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, Pakistan, that killed 20 and wounded between 50 and 60 others. Some of the other major terrorist attacks for which the TGG has claimed responsibility are the September 22, 2013, bombing of a church in Peshawar; the December 15, 2012, attack on Bacha Khan Airport in Peshawar; the December 3, 2012, attack on the Consulate General of the United States in Peshawar; and the October 14, 2012, attack on Ghaziabad Public School in Peshawar.

In addition to these devastating attacks, the TGG is responsible for the 2010 kidnapping of a British journalist traveling to North Waziristan, Pakistan, and the 2008 kidnapping and beheading of a Polish geologist in Attock, Pakistan.

Pakistan’s military operation Zarb-e-Azb targeted the TGG. The group continues to launch terrorist attacks in Pakistan in collaboration with TTP, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA), and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ). Apprehended members of the group have confessed that the group was involved in a number of major terrorist attacks.

TGG is a designated terrorist organisation by United Nations Security Council.

TGG leaders:

Khalifa Umar Mansoor - Designation: Commander with TGG. Status: Dead. Killed in Afghanistan in 2016.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: According to U.S. government data, 100-300 TGG militants are present in Afghanistan.

Flag commonly used: TGG uses the white standard commonly used by the Afghan Taliban.

Allies:

Afghan Taliban - TGG is believed to have close links with Afghan Taliban.

al-Qaeda - TGG is believed to have developed links with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.

Islamic Jihad Union

The Islamic Jihad Union (also known as the Islamic Jihad Group) is a splinter faction of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, another al Qaeda-linked terror group that operates along the Afghan-Pakistani border, and was founded in 2002. Central Asians, Turks, and Germans make up a significant portion of the IJU. The German fighters are often referred to as German Taliban, and they have carried out attacks in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

IJU leaders:

Akhtar Mansoor - Dead
Najmiddin Jalolov - Dead
Abu Omar al-Turkistani - Remained with IJU as a commander in Afghanistan until 2015 before leaving for Syria where he served with al-Nusra Front and Turkistan Islamic Party. Status: Killed in U.S. drone strike in 2017.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: According to U.S. government data, some 25 active militants belonging to IJU are present in Afghanistan.

Flag commonly used: Black standard commonly used by al-Qaeda.

Allies:

Afghan Taliban - [see above]

al-Qaeda - [see above]

East Turkestan Islamic Movement - [see above]

Caucus Emirate (status disputed) - [see above]

Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan - [see above]

Jamaat Dawa Quran

Jamaat Dawa Quran (JDQ), which is “based in Peshawar, Pakistan, and eastern Afghanistan” has “long-standing ties to al Qaeda and Lashkar e-Tayyiba,” according to the U.S. State Department in 2016. JDQ, which is also known as the Jamaat al Dawa ila al Sunnah, Jamaat ud Dawa il al Quran al Sunnah, and the Salafi Group, operates primarily in Kunar province, Afghanistan.

In January 2010, JDQ pledged an oath of allegiance to then Afghan Taliban emir Mullah Omar. That pledge was accepted by the Taliban. It was designated as a foreign terrorist organisation by U.S. State Department in 2016.

JDQ leaders:

Haji Sahib Rohullah Wakil - Former Guantanamo detainee who was later transferred to the American wing of the Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul, Afghanistan. He is believed to be the overall in-charge of operations of JDQ.
Jamil al-Rahman - Founder and former leader of JDQ. He was assassinated in 1991.
Sabar Lal Melma - Believed to be senior member of JDQ. Status: Dead.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: According to U.S. government data, around 25 active militants belonging to JDQ are currently present in Afghanistan.

Flag commonly used: Unknown.

Allies:

Afghan Taliban - [see above]

al-Qaeda - [see above]

Lashkar-e-Taiba - [see above]

Iranian Revolutionary Guards - Quds Force (Liwa Fatemiyoun)

Also known as Fatemiyoun Brigade, is an Afghan Shia militia formed in 2014 to fight in Syria on the side of the government. It is funded, trained, and equipped by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and fights under the command of Iranian officers. By late 2017, the unit numbered between 10,000–20,000 fighters. According to Zohair Mojahed, a cultural official in the group, the group has suffered 2,000 killed and 8,000 wounded in combat in Syria since its establishment.

The core of Liwa Fatemiyoun is constituted of the fighters of the Shia militia group Muhammad Army which was active during the Soviet–Afghan War and against the Taliban, until its collapse after the Invasion of Afghanistan, as well as the Abuzar Brigade, an all-Afghan Shia militia group who voluntarily fought in the Iran–Iraq War. In August 2016, Iranian official Qurban Ghalambor was arrested by the Afghan government for recruiting fighters for Liwa Fatemiyoun. Ghalambor had served as representative for the Ali Khamenei's office in Kabul.

The recruits are typically Hazara, a Persian-speaking Shia ethnic group from central Afghanistan, and also include children. The Iranian recruiters for Liwa Fatemiyoun are usually members of the Basij. The Afghans are promised Iranian citizenship and salaries of $500–$800 per month in return for fighting (usually a 3-month-long deployment to Syria). Many are illegal immigrants/refugees and/or criminals who choose recruitment over imprisonment or deportation, though the Iranian government generally claims that they are religiously motivated volunteers. Iranian media has claimed that the Iranian military provides Liwa Fatemiyoun fighters and their IRGC officers with Hashish to raise their morale.

In January 2019, US Treasury announced sanctions on Liwa Fatemiyoun.

Fatemiyoun leaders:

Ali Reza Tavassoli ("Abu Hamed Ali Sah Xakis") - Dead.
Mostafa Sardarzadeh - Dead.
Hussain Fedayee ("Zulfiqar") - Dead.

Liwa Fatemiyoun fighters with Qasem Soleimani during the Syrian Desert campaign (May–July 2017).

Liwa Fatemiyoun fighters during the Palmyra offensive (December 2016), showcasing their flag.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: U.S. government data does not say much about the presence of Liwa Fatemiyoun fighters in Afghanistan. But according to independent sources, few hundred fighters have returned to Afghanistan after fighting in Syria. However, Afghan officials are reluctant to talk about it publicly to avoid tensions with Tehran. In April 2019, Associated Press cited a senior official of Afghan Ministry of Interior as saying, "Roughly 10,000 veterans of the brigade have returned to Afghanistan”. The senior official in Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry who is introduced by AP as "familiar with government intelligence," said he was "not authorized to brief reporters" and spoke on condition of anonymity. Hours later, in an interview with RFE/RL's Afghan Service, Radio Azadi (Liberty), the spokesman of Afghanistan' Ministry of Defense, Ghais Mangal, denied the report, while insisting, "We have no comment on the Fatemiyoun Brigade, but deny the presence of its members in Afghanistan. However, we are going to investigate the report, and we will soon share the result with you."

Flag commonly used:

Allies:
Liwa Zainebiyoun - is a pro-government brigade fighting in Syria composed of Shia Pakistanis. It draws recruits from Shia Pakistanis living in Iran, Shia Hazara living in Pakistan, and native Shia of Parachinar and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. It is the Pakistani version of Liwa Fatemiyoun and is backed by IRGC. Like its Afghan sister brigade, Liwa Zainebiyoun is also sanctioned by US.

Hezbollah - is a Shi'a Islamist political party and militant group based in Lebanon.
Iran - Liwa Zainebiyoun is equipped and funded by the Iranian government.

Syria - Liwa Zainebiyoun is allied with the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria and has been fighting alongside Syrian Army soldiers.

Lashkar-e-Islam

Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI) is a militant organization used to be active in Pakistan before moving its operations to Afghanistan following the 2014 Operation Zarb-e-Azb by Pakistani military. LeI was founded in 2004 by Mufti Munir Shakir. The present leader of the group is Mangal Bagh.

Lashkar-e-Islam pledged allegiance to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) before briefly pledging allegiance to Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) before once again breaking away and rejoining TTP. Since then, Lashkar-e-Islam has engaged in several battles with ISKP in Afghanistan and has lost several of its fighters in those battles. ISKP has declared Lashkar-e-Islam “apostates”.

Lashkar-e-Islam is banned in Pakistan.

Lashkar leaders:

Mufti Munir Shakir - Designation: Founder. Status: Alive.

Mangal Bagh - Designation: Present emir. Status: Alive. U.S. bounty of $3 million.

Saifullah Saif - Designation: Former spokesperson. Status: Surrendered to Pakistan.

Commander Ilyas - Designation: Former commander. Status: Surrendered to Pakistan.

Commander Wajid - Designation: Former commander. Status: Surrendered to Pakistan.

SUV belonging to Mangal Bagh somewhere in Afghanistan

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: U.S. government data does not mention Lashkar-e-Islam in its report, however according to my sources Lashkar-e-Islam maintains a presence of 50-100 militants in Afghanistan.

Flag commonly used: Lashkar-e-Islam uses its own version of black standard.

Allies:
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan - Lashkar-e-Islam pledged allegiance to TTP in 2015 before breaking away and joining Islamic State’s Khorasan Province (ISKP) briefly. Lashkar then broke away from IS somewhere around 2016-17 and returned to TTP’s ranks although it mostly operates as an independent group.

Islamic State (former ally) - Lashkar-e-Islam and ISKP have both engaged in severe clashes following Lashkar’s exist from ISKP ranks.

Afghanistan - It is alleged by Afghan analysts and some Pakistani officials that Afghan government and its intelligence service provided safe haven and support to Lashkar-e-Islam in Afghanistan in an attempt to counter Pakistan.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi

Also known as "Army of Jhangvi", it is a Sunni supremacist and jihadist militant organisation based in Afghanistan. An offshoot of anti-Shia political party Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), the LeJ was founded by former SSP activists Riaz Basra, Malik Ishaq, Akram Lahori, and Ghulam Rasool Shah.

The LeJ has claimed responsibility for various mass casualty attacks against the Shia community in Pakistan. LeJ is a designated terrorist organisation in Pakistan, Australia, Canada, Pakistan, United Kingdom, United States and the United Nations.

Afghan officials from Zabul province have claimed that Lashkar-e Jhangvi has a sanctuary in southern Afghanistan.

LeJ leaders:

Riaz Basra - Dead
Malik Ishaq - Dead
Akram Lahori - Dead
Ghulam Rasool Shah - Dead
Asif Chotu - Dead
Qari Mohammad Yasin - Dead
Yousuf Mansoor Khurasani - Leader of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami (pro-IS) faction.
Ali Bin Sufyan - Spokesperson of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami (pro-IS) faction.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: U.S. government data does not mention exact figure of LeJ militants in its Afghanistan report, however according to my sources Lashkar-e-Jhangvi maintains a presence of 50-70 active militants in Afghanistan as of May 2019.

Flag commonly used:

Allies:

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan - Also known as the Punjabi Taliban, LeJ maintains close ties with TTP.

Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan - [see above]

Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan - LeJ was founded by activists of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) and still maintains links.

Ahle Sunnat Waljamaat - Also known as ASWJ, the group is a splinter of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) and maintains links with LeJ.

al-Qaeda - LeJ’s anti-IS faction maintains close ties with al-Qaeda.

Jundallah - a Pakistani jihadist group that pledged allegiance to IS and also has some elements in Afghanistan. It maintains links with pro-IS faction of LeJ.

Islamic State (disputed) - Following the killing of its chief Malik Ishaq, a large group within LeJ pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. The pro-IS wing of LeJ is known as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami (LeJA). However, as per reports in 2017 and 2018, LeJA has broken ranks with IS. It is unclear if any links between LeJA and IS still exist and at what level.

Commander Nazir Group

Also known as Mullah Nazir Group, it is a splinter group of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) that was founded by Mullah Nazir around 2006 with its operations primarily based in South Waziristan at the time. The group was initially seen as ‘good Taliban’ by the Pakistani state because of its opposition to foreign jihadists in Pakistan’s tribal areas, where at one point it engaged in battles against Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU). In 2011, the Nazir Group allied with three other major Taliban groups-- the TTP, the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, and the Haqqani Network-- to form another umbrella organization, the Shura-e-Murakeba. Al Qaeda brokered this alliance in order to unite various factions of the Taliban under a common plan of action. Members of the Shura-e-Murakeba refocused their efforts on fighting U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan. They also agreed to refrain from attacking Pakistani security forces and committing criminal acts in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas FATA.

In February 2013, the U.S. State Department designated the Nazir Group as a global terrorist entity and added Mullah Nazir to its list of global terrorists. The U.S. State Department justified the designation on the grounds that the Nazir Group engaged in transnational attacks against U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan and provided sanctuary for Al Qaeda.

Nazir Group leaders:

Mullah Nazir - Designation: Founder and leader till 2013. Status: Dead. Killed in a U.S. drone strike in January 2013 in Angoor Adda, near Wana, South Waziristan.

Hazrat Umar - Brother of Mullah Nazir. Status: Dead. Killed in a U.S. drone strike with several other militants in South Waziristan in October 2011.

Bahawal Khan alias Salahuddin Ayubi - Successor to Mullah Nazir. Designation: Chief. Status: Unknown.

Malang Nazir - Designation: Bahawal Khan’s commander. Status: Unknown.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: U.S. government report does not mention the number of Nazir Group militants currently present in Afghanistan but according to my sources, the number is estimated to be somewhere around 3,000 to 6,000.

Flag commonly used: Nazir Group typically uses the white standard commonly used by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Allies:

al-Qaeda - Al Qaeda’s mission of global jihad has ideologically influenced the Nazir Group.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan - The Nazir Group briefly merged with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) when the TTP formed in 2007, but left in early 2008 due to disagreements between Maulvi Nazir and the TTP leader, Baitullah Mehsud. This split stemmed from a dispute between Nazir and Mehsud over the presence of Uzbek militants in South Waziristan. The TTP subsequently conducted several assassination attempts against Nazir, sparking open hostilities between the TTP and Nazir Group. Despite its history of conflict with the TTP, in 2009, the Nazir Group entered into an alliance with the TTP and the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group. This umbrella organization, known as the Shura Ittihad al-Mujahedeen (Allied Mujahedeen Council), was formed on the command of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar, and the Haqqani Network patriarch Jalaluddin Haqqani. The alliance formed after the then U.S. President Barack Obama decided to deploy an additional 17,000 troops to Afghanistan. Then in 2011, the Nazir Group joined with three other major Taliban groups-- the TTP, the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, and the Haqqani Network-- in order to form another umbrella organization, the Shura-e-Murakeba. Al-Qaeda brokered this alliance in order to unite various factions of the Taliban under a common plan of action. Members of the Shura-e-Murakeba decided to refocus their efforts on fighting U.S.-led coalition forces. They also agreed to refrain from attacking Pakistani security forces and committing criminal acts in the FATA.

Afghan Taliban - Nazir Group maintains close ties with the Afghan Taliban.

Haqqani Network - Nazir Group maintains close ties with the Haqqani Network.

Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group - Initially seen as ‘good Taliban’ by the Pakistani state, the group is a splinter faction of TTP. In July 2008 Gul Bahadur Group and Nazir Group announced the creation of the Muqami Tehrik-e Taliban, translated as the Local Taliban Movement and also referred to as the "Waziri Alliance", with Gul Bahadur as its leader and Nazir as his deputy. The alliance was formed between the two groups after their disagreements with TTP leadership over its attacks against Pakistani state. In late 2008 missile strikes from U.S. drones in North Waziristan strained the peace deal with Islamabad that Gul Bahadar had agreed previously to observe in 2006. In March 2011 he threatened to pull out of the peace deal with Pakistani government after one of his top commanders Sherabat Khan Wazir was killed in Datta Khel airstrike. In 2014 conflicting reports suggest that air strikes conducted in Datakhel district of North Waziristan Agency have killed key commanders of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group including Gul Bahadur.

Pakistan - It is alleged that Pakistani state initially provided support to the Nazir Group, especially during the time when Nazir Group was clashing with Pakistan’s common enemy, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), in South Waziristan. In later years, Pakistani state largely avoided carrying out counter-terrorism operations against the Nazir Group even when it was carrying out operations against other groups. This leniency is believed to have existed due to Nazir Group’s opposition to attacks against the Pakistani state.

Other affiliations - Nazir Group also maintains close links with the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group and the Islamic Jihad Union.

Jaish-e-Mohammed

Also known as JeM, it is a jihadist outfit based in Pakistan and India-controlled Kashmir with a goal of waging an insurgency against Indian state. It has carried out several attacks primarily in India-controlled Kashmir, including a major attack in Pulwama in February 2019. The JeM has been banned in Pakistan since 2002. It has also been designated a terrorist group by Russia, Australia, Canada, India, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and the United Nations.

JeM leaders:

Masood Azhar - Designation: Founder and leader. On 1st May 2019, Masood Azhar was listed as an international terrorist by United Nations Security Council.

Abdul Rauf Asghar - Commander with JeM and brother of Masood Azhar. On December 2, 2010, the United States Treasury designated him a terrorist.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: U.S. government report does not mention the number of JeM militants currently present in Afghanistan but according to my sources, there are at least around 100-200 JeM militants active in Afghanistan. Many of them are embedded with Afghan Taliban while some others have defected to other groups like TTP and Islamic State.

Flag commonly used: JeM uses its own version of white and black standard.

Allies:

Hizbul Mujahideen - The group has carried out several joint attacks with JeM in India-controlled Kashmir.

Lashkar-e-Taiba - JeM also maintains operational ties with LeT and has carried out joint ops with the group in India-controlled Kashmir. According to Indian and US intelligence reports, JeM carried out the 2001 Indian Parliament attack with facilitation from LeT.

Harkat-ul-Mujahideen al-Islami - JeM maintains ties with Harkat-ul-Mujahideen.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi - JeM has maintained close ties with LeJ in South Punjab at least until LeJ’s leaders were executed by Pakistani security forces in 2015. It is unclear how close both groups are today.

Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan - JeM has also maintained close ties with SSP in South Punjab.

Afghan Taliban - JeM is allied with Taliban in Afghanistan.

al-Qaeda - JeM has maintained ties with al-Qaeda over the years. It is believed that these ties still exist at some level.

Pakistan - The state of Pakistan is believed to have maintained close ties with JeM on and off. However, in 2019 Pakistan said it has launched a campaign against JeM’s leaders and financiers.

Hizbul Mujahideen

HuM is a pro-Pakistani militant organization that is active in the regions of north-west Pakistan and seeks for the integration of India-controlled Jammu and Kashmir with Pakistan as an Islamic state.

The group has been designated as a terrorist group by India, the European Union, and the United States. But it continues to operate within Pakistan.

HuM leaders:

Muhammad Ahsan Dar - Designation: Founder and former head of HuM. Status: Alive but inactive somewhere in Jammu Kashmir.

Syed Mohammed Yusuf Shah, alias Syed Salahuddin - Designation: Present chief of HuM. Status: Alive and active, based out of Pakistan. He is listed on the MOST WANTED list of Indian intelligence agency NIA. He was also named as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US Department Of State.

Riyaz Naikoo - Designation: HuM commander in India-controlled Kashmir valley. Status: Alive and operational.

Altaf Kachroo - Designation: HuM commander in Kulgam. Status: Dead, killed in encounter by Indian forces.

Burhan Muzaffar Wani - Designation: Commander with HuM. Status: Dead, killed in encounter by Indian forces.

A more recent photo of Muhammad Ahsan Dar

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: U.S. government report does not mention the number of HuM militants currently present in Afghanistan but according to my sources, there are at least around 50-70 HuM militants active in Afghanistan. Many of them are embedded with Afghan Taliban while some others have defected to other groups in Afghanistan.

Flag commonly used:

Allies:

Lashkar-e-Taiba - HuM maintains operational ties with LeT and has carried out joint ops with the group in India-controlled Kashmir. According to Indian and US intelligence reports, JeM carried out the 2001 Indian Parliament attack with facilitation from LeT.

Jaish-e-Mohammed - HuM maintains operational ties with JeM.

Harkat-ul-Mujahideen al-Islami - HuM maintains ties with Harkat-ul-Mujahideen.

Afghan Taliban - HuM is ideologically allied with Taliban in Afghanistan.

Pakistan - In June 2012 in an interview, Hizbul Mujahideen chief Salahuddin accepted that Pakistan had been backing Hizb-ul-Mujahideen for fight in Kashmir.

Harkat-ul-Mujahideen al-Islami

Harkat is a Pakistan-based Islamic extremist militant group operating primarily in India and Pakistan controlled Kashmir. The group has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. In response, the group changed its name to Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. The renamed group remains banned as a terrorist group in India.

Harkat is believed to have another front group named Ansar-ul-Ummah, which is primarily active in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

Harkat leaders:

Fazlur Rehman Khalil - Designation: Founder of Harkat and leader of Ansar-ul-Ummah, a group that is believed to be a front for Harkat. Around 2001, he stepped down as the chief and was made Secretary General of the group. In 2018, he joined Pakistani political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf.

Farooq Kashmiri - Designation: Second chief of Harkat following Khalil’s stepping down. Status: Alive and active.

Estimated number of fighters in Afghanistan: U.S. government report does not mention the number of Harkat militants currently present in Afghanistan but according to my sources, there are at least around 50-100 Harkat militants active in Afghanistan. Most of them are embedded with Afghan Taliban while some others fight or train with al-Qaeda fighters.

Flag commonly used:

Allies:

Lashkar-e-Taiba - Harkat maintains ties with LeT.

Jaish-e-Mohammed - Harkat maintains ties with JeM.

Afghan Taliban - Harkat is ideologically allied with Taliban in Afghanistan.

Hizbul Mujahideen - Harkat maintains ties with Hizbul Mujahideen.

al-Qaeda - Harkat founder Fazlur Rehman Khalil is believed to have old ties with al-Qaeda. In May 2004, Pakistani authorities arrested Khalil for helping transport Pakistani militants into Afghanistan. After six months he was released due to lack of evidence. After Hamid and Umer Hayat reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in June 2005 that they had received training at an al-Qaeda camp run by Khalil, he went into hiding. He resurfaced some time later.

Pakistan - Harkat is believed to be supported by Pakistani state at the height of its popularity.

This article may be updated in future.