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Haqqani network

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Haqqani Network
LeaderJalaluddin Haqqani
Active regionsPakistan, Afganistan
StatusOperational
Size15,000[1]
AlliesTaliban
OpponentsNATO – ISAF

The Haqqani Network is an independent insurgent group originating in Afghanistan that is closely allied with the Taliban.[2] Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani along with his son Sirajuddin Haqqani lead the Haqqani network, which is based in the Afghanistan–Pakistan border areas. According to US military commanders it is "the most resilient enemy network"[3] and one of the biggest threats to NATO and United States forces in Afghanistan. [4] Some notable US officials have alleged that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) service has been enabling the network.[5] Though Pakistan's Interior Minister had refuted the allegation and said that Pakistan had no relations with the network, and claims that sometime ago Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States of America had formed the Haqqani network and trained its associates.[6][7] [8] [9] Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Kiyani was to decline and raise the voice on such statements by USA officials. Whereas the Haqqani network had recently (in 2011) warned USA against any military action in the tribal agencies of North Waziristan, Pakistan.[8]

Background

Maulvi Haqqani rose to prominence and was recognized as a senior military leader during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. He visited the White House during the presidency of Ronald Reagan.[10] Like Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Haqqani was more successful than other resistance leaders at forging relationships with outsiders prepared to sponsor resistance to the Soviets, including the CIA, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and wealthy Arab private donors from the Persian Gulf. In the late 1980's, Haqqani had the CIA's full support.[11] Foreign jihadists recognized the network as a distinct entity as early as 1994, but Haqqani was not affiliated with the Taliban until they captured Kabul and assumed de facto control of Afghanistan in 1996.[12][13] After the Taliban came to power, Haqqani accepted a cabinet level appointment as Minister of Tribal Affairs.[14] As Jalaluddin has grown older his son Sirajuddin has taken over the responsibility of military operations. [4] Journalist Syed Saleem Shahzad reported that President Hamid Karzai had invited the younger Haqqani to serve as Prime Minister in an attempt to bring "moderate" Taliban into the government. The militant refused.[14]

File:Mr Haqqani (Cheif Haqqani Network) a state guest of the President Reagan.jpg Mr Haqqani (Cheif Haqqani Network) a state guest of the President Reagan.


Leadership

  • Jalaluddin Haqqani
  • Sirajuddin Haqqani
  • Badaruddin Haqqani - younger brother of Sirajuddin[15]
  • Sangeen Zadran - According the US State Department, he is a senior lieutenant to Sirajuddin and the shadow governor for Paktika province in Afghanistan.[15][16][17]
  • Nasiruddin Haqqani[15]

Following Wikileaks July 2010 publication of 75,000 classified documents the public learned that Sirajuddin Haqqani was in the tier one of the International Security Assistance Force's Joint Prioritized Effects List—its "kill or capture" list.[18] As of 2011, Haji Mali Khan was the senior Haqqani commander inside Afghanistan.[19]

Activities

The Christian Science Monitor, citing unnamed US and Afghan sources, reported in June 2009 that the leadership is based in Miranshah, North Waziristan in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan along the Afghan border[2] In September 2011, Sirajuddin Haqqani told Reuters that the group feels "more secure in Afghanistan besides the Afghan people."[20] Haqqani is reported[by whom?] to run his own training camps, to recruit his own foreign fighters, and to seek out financial and logistic support on his own, from his old contacts.[4] The network is active in Afghanistan's southeastern areas of Paktia Province, Paktika Province, Khost Province, Wardak Province, Logar Province, and Ghazni Province.[2]

Estimates of the Haqqanis's numbers vary. A 2009 New York Times article indicates that they are thought to have about 4,000 to 12,000 Taliban under their command while a 2011 report from the Combating Terrorism Center places its strength roughly at 10,000-15,000.[21][13] During a September 2011 interview, Sirajuddin Haqqani said the figure of 10,000 fighters, as quoted in some media reports, "is actually less than the actual number."[20] Throughout its history the network's operations have been conducted by small, semi-autonomous units organized according to tribal and sub-tribal affiliations often at the direction of and with the logistical support of Haqqani commanders.[13]

The Haqqani network pioneered the use of suicide attacks in Afghanistan and tend to use mostly foreign bombers whereas the Taliban tend to rely on locals in attacks.[2] It makes money by extortion, kidnappings and other crime in eastern provinces of Afghanistan.[citation needed] According to a tribal elder in Paktia "Haqqani's people ask for money from contractors working on road construction. They are asking money or goods from shopkeepers, District elders and contractors are paying money to Afghan workers, but sometimes half of the money will go to Haqqani's people."[10] The network, according to the National Journal, supplies much of the potassium chlorate used in bombs employed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Also, the network's bombs use more sophisticated remote triggering devices than the pressure-plated activators used elsewhere in Afghanistan. Sirajuddin Haqqani told MSNBC in April 2009 that his fighters had, "acquired the modern technology that we were lacking, and we have mastered new and innovative methods of making bombs and explosives."[22]

Attacks and alleged attacks

Anti-American groups of Gul Bahadur and Haqqani carry out their activities in Afghanistan and use North Waziristan as rear.[33] The network allegedly maintains old links with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Pakistan's army has been reportedly reluctant to move against them.[4][34] The ISI had links with the Haqqanis since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and provided funds and assistance to the group during the Afghan resistance. While Pakistan has declared the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as an enemy which engages in attacks against civilians and the state, the Haqqani group refrains from attacking the Pakistani state and thus, has traditionally been considered to be in the Pakistani sphere of what some analysts call the "good" Taliban.[35]

The New York Times reported in September 2008 that Pakistan regards the Haqqani's as an important force for protecting its interests in Afghanistan in the event of American withdrawal from there and therefore have been unwilling to move against them.[34] The same newspaper and Al Jazeera later reported in June 2010 that Pakistan's Army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and chief of the ISI General Ahmad Shuja Pasha were in talks with Afghan president Hamid Karzai to broker a power-sharing agreement between the Haqqani network and the Afghan government.[36][37] Reacting to this report both President Barack Obama and CIA director Leon Panetta responded with skepticism that such an effort could succeed.[38] The effort to mediate between the Haqqanis and the Afghan government was launched by Pakistan after intense pressure by the US to take military action against the group in North Waziristan.[39] Hamid Karzai later denied meeting anyone from the Haqqani network.[40] Subsequently Kayani also denied that he took part in these talks.[41]

According to a July 2011 report published by West Point's Combating Terrorism Center, the network acts as a key facilitator of negotiations between the Pakistani government and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and as the "primary conduit" of many Pakistani Taliban fighters into Afghanistan.[13]

In September 2011, Sirajuddin Haqqani claimed during a telephonic interview to Reuters that the Haqqani network no longer maintained sanctuaries in northwest Pakistan and the robust presence that it once had there and instead now felt more safer in Afghanistan: "Gone are the days when we were hiding in the mountains along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Now we consider ourselves more secure in Afghanistan besides the Afghan people."[20] According to Haqqani, there were "senior military and police officials" who are aligned with the group and there are even sympathetic and "sincere people in the Afghan government who are loyal to the Taliban" who support the group's aim of liberating Afghanistan "from the clutches of occupying forces."[20]

The group's links to Pakistan have been a sour point in Pakistan – United States relations. In September 2011 the Obama administration warned Pakistan that it must do more to cut ties with the Haqqani network and help eliminate its leaders, adding that "the United States will act unilaterally if Pakistan does not comply."[42] In testimony before a US Senate panel, Admiral Mike Mullen stated that the network "acts as a veritable arm of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Agency."[5] Pakistan in return rejected the notion that it maintained ties with the Haqqani network or used it in a policy of waging a proxy war in neighboring Afghanistan; the Pakistani interior minister also warned that any incursion on Pakistani territory by U.S. forces will not be tolerated. A Pakistani intelligence official insisted that the American allegations are part of "pressure tactics" used by the United States as a strategy "to shift the war theatre."[43] An unnamed Pakistani official was reported to have said after a meeting of the nation's top military officials that “We have already conveyed to the US that Pakistan cannot go beyond what it has already done".[44]

Efforts against the network

In July 2008 Jalaluddin's son Omar Haqqani was killed in a firefight with coalition forces in Paktia.[45] In September 2008 Daande Darpkhel airstrike drones fired 6 missiles at the home of the Haqqanis and a madrasah run by the network. However both Jalaluddin and Sirajuddin were not present though several family members were killed. [24] Among 23 people killed was one of Jalaluddin's two wives, sister, sister in law and 8 of his grandchildren.[34] In March 2009, the US State Department announced a reward of $5 million for information leading to the location, arrest, or conviction of Sirajuddin under the Rewards for Justice Program.[46] In May 2010 US senator and United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chair Dianne Feinstein wrote to United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging her to add the Haqqani network to U.S. State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.[47]

ISAF and Afghan forces killed a network leader, Fazil Subhan, plus an unknown number of Haqqani militiamen, in a raid in Khost in the second week of June 2010. In a press release, ISAF reported that Subhan helped facilitate the movement of Al-Qaeda fighters into Afghanistan.[48][49]

In late July 2011, U.S. and Afghan special forces killed dozens of insurgents during an operation in eastern Paktika province to clear a training camp the Haqqani network used for foreign (Arab and Chechen) fighters; reports of the number killed varied, with one source saying "more than 50"[50] to "nearly 80".[51] Disenfranchised insurgents told security forces where the camp was located, the coalition said.[50]

In an effort to stop the flow of funds to the network, the US State Department announced on August 16, 2011 measures against Sangeen Zadran as "Shadow Governor for Paktika Province, Afghanistan and a commander of the Haqqani Network." The US designated Zadran under Executive Order 13224 while the United Nations listed him under Security Council Resolution 1988.[16][17]

In September 2011 the US Senate Appropriations Committee voted to make a $1 billion counter-insurgency aid package to the Pakistani military conditional upon Pakistani action against militant groups, including the Haqqani network. The decision would still need to receive approval from the US House of Representatives and the US Senate.[52] According to the press release, "[t]he bill includes strengthened restrictions on assistance for Pakistan by conditioning all funds to the Government of Pakistan on cooperation against the Haqqani Network, al Qaeda, and other terrorist organizations, with a waiver, and funding based on achieving benchmarks."[53]

See also

References

  1. ^ Sirajuddin Haqqani dares US to attack N Waziristan, By Reuters, Published: September 24, 2011
  2. ^ a b c d e Gopal, Anand, "The most deadly US foe in Afghanistan", Christian Science Monitor, May 31, 2009.
  3. ^ Partlow, Joshua (27 May 2011). "Haqqani insurgent group proves resilient foe in Afghan war". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2011-07-27.
  4. ^ a b c d e Gall, Carlotta (2008-06-17). "Old-Line Taliban Commander Is Face of Rising Afghan Threat". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
  5. ^ a b "Pakistan 'backed Haqqani attack on Kabul' - Mike Mullen". BBC News. 2011-09-22. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  6. ^ "Defiant Pak refuses to go after Haqqanis". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. September 27, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
  7. ^ "CIA created Haqqani network: Rehman Malik". dawn.com. 25 September 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  8. ^ a b "Haqqani network created by the CIA: Rehman Malik". tribune.com.pk. 25 September 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  9. ^ "CIA, not Pakistan, created Haqqani network: Malik". thenews.com.pk. September 26, 2011. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  10. ^ a b "Haqqani Network Challenges US-Pakistan Relations". ABC News. 2009-12-29.
  11. ^ Coll, Steve Ghost Wars (New York:Penguin, 2004) pp. 201-202
  12. ^ Herold, Marc (February 2002). "The failing campaign: A relentless American campaign seeking to kill Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani rains bombs on civilians as the most powerful mujahideen remains elusive". Vol. 19, no. 3. The Hindu. Retrieved 2008-09-28. mirror
  13. ^ a b c d Rassler, Don (2011-07-14). "The Haqqani Nexus and the Evolution of al-Qaida" (PDF). Harmony Program. Combating Terrorism Center. Retrieved 2011-08-02. {{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ a b Syed Salaam Shahzad (2004-05-05). "Through the eyes of the Taliban". Asia Times. Retrieved 2009-02-10.[failed verification]
  15. ^ a b c Khan, Zia (2011-09-22). "Who on earth are the Haqqanis?". The Express Tribune. The Express Tribune News Network. Retrieved 2011-09-23.
  16. ^ a b "US tries to stem funds to Haqqani network commander". The Express Tribune. AFP. 2011-08-16. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  17. ^ a b "Designation of Haqqani Network Commander Sangeen Zadran". U.S Department of State. 2011-08-16. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  18. ^ Matthias Gebauer, John Goetz, Hans Hoyng, Susanne Koelbl, Marcel Rosenbach, Gregor Peter Schmitz (2010-07-26). "The Helpless Germans: War Logs Illustrate Lack of Progress in Bundeswehr Deployment". Der Spiegel. Retrieved 2010-08-15. Sirajuddin Haqqani is also associated with the foreign jihadists. Haqqani, known as 'Siraj,' is the son of the legendary Afghan mujahedeen leader Jalaluddin Haqqani. Together with the Taliban and Hekmatyar, the Haqqani clan of warlords are among the three greatest opponents of Western forces in Afghanistan. In the digital war logs, his name appeared in 'Tier 1' on a list of targets to be killed or taken captive, which qualified him as one of the Western alliance's most wanted terrorists.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) mirror
  19. ^ "Nato 'kills senior Haqqani militant in Afghanistan'". BBC News. 30 June 2011.
  20. ^ a b c d "No sanctuaries in Pakistan': Haqqani network shifts base to Afghanistan". Express Tribune. 18 September 2011. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
  21. ^ "Rebuffing U.S., Pakistan Balks at Crackdown]". The New York Times. 2009-12-14.
  22. ^ Dreazen, Yochi J., "The New Enemy", National Journal, 16 July 2011.
  23. ^ Kidnapped US reporter makes dramatic escape from Taliban, The Guardian, 2009-06-21
  24. ^ a b U.S. Missiles Said To Kill 20 in Pakistan Near Afghan Border, The Washington Post, 2008-09-09
  25. ^ Taliban Wanted $25 Million for Life of New York Times Reporter, ABC News, 2009-06-22
  26. ^ Pakistan urges united reaction after CIA blast, Financial Times, 2010-01-03
  27. ^ Rogio, Bill (May 24, 2010). "Haqqani Network executed Kabul suicide attack". Public Multimedia. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  28. ^ "Haqqani network threatens attacks on judges". Pajhwok Afghan News. 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2011-07-27.
  29. ^ Roggio, Bill, "ISAF airstrike kills senior Haqqani Network commander involved in Kabul hotel attack", Long War Journal, 30 June 2011.
  30. ^ Kharsany, Safeeyah (2011-06-29). "Manager gives account of Kabul hotel attack". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2011-09-15. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  31. ^ Jelinek, Pauline (Associated Press), "Haqqani group behind Afghan bombing, U.S. says", Military Times, 12 September 2011.
  32. ^ Rubin, Alissa J (2011-09-14). "U.S. Blames Kabul Assault on Pakistan-Based Group". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2011-09-14. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  33. ^ "Militant Networks in North Waziristan". OutlookAfghanistan.net. 26 May 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-27.
  34. ^ a b c "U.S. attack on Taliban kills 23 in Pakistan". The New York Times. 9 September 2008. Retrieved 2011-07-27.
  35. ^ "U.S. military chief, in Pakistan, eyes militant ties". Reuters. April 20 2011. Retrieved 20 September 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. ^ Perlez, Jane (24 June 2010). "Pakistan Is Said to Pursue Foothold in Afghanistan". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 June 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  37. ^ "Karzai 'holds talks' with Haqqani". Al Jazeera English. 28 June 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  38. ^ Shane, Scott (27 June 2010). "Pakistan's Plan on Afghan Peace Leaves U.S. Wary". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  39. ^ Syed, Baqir Sajjad (16 June 2010). "Pakistan trying to broker Afghan deal". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  40. ^ "Kabul dismisses report Karzai met militant leader". Agence France-Presse. 29 June 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
  41. ^ "Kayani says he did not broker Karzai's talks with Haqqani". Dawn (newspaper). 2 July 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  42. ^ DeYoung, Karen (2011-09-21). "U.S. sharpens warning to Pakistan". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2011-09-21.
  43. ^ "Brittle relations: Islamabad 'vehemently' rejects US 'proxy war' claims". Express Tribune. 22 September 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
  44. ^ Zirulnick, Ariel. "Pakistan refuses to battle Haqqani network." The Christian Science Monitor, 26 September 2011.
  45. ^ Haqqani’s son killed in Paktia, The News International, 2008-07-11
  46. ^ "Rewards For Justice: Sirajuddin Haqqani". U.S. State Department. 2008-01-14. Retrieved 2011-07-27.
  47. ^ "US Senator: Label Pakistan Taliban, Haqqani, as terrorists". Agence France-Presse. May 13, 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  48. ^ Roggio, Bill (June 14, 2010). "US, Afghan Forces Kill Haqqani Network Commander During Raid In Khost". LongWarJournal.
  49. ^ "Afghan, International Force Clears Haqqani Stronghold". ISAF. 2010-06-14. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  50. ^ a b Nichols, Michelle (July 22, 2011). "NATO kills 50 fighters, clears Afghan training camp". Reuters. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
  51. ^ "Rare glimpse into U.S. special operations forces in Afghanistan". Security Clearance (blog). CNN. July 26, 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-27. U.S. and Afghan troops attacked an insurgent encampment, killing nearly 80 foreign fighters....The camp they attacked and the fighters there were part of the so-called Haqqanni network, which is responsible for many recent attacks in Afghanistan and is closely tied to al Qaeda. The Haqqanis traditionally rely on Afghan and Pakistani fighters, but in this instance most of the fighters there who were killed were Arabs and Chechens, brought into Afghanistan from Pakistan.
  52. ^ "US senators link Pakistan aid to Haqqani crackdown". BBC News. 2011-09-22. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  53. ^ "Summary: FY12 State, Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill". U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. 2011-09-21. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
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