Haqqani network

Haqqani network
د حقاني شبکې
FounderJalaluddin Haqqani (1970s)
Leaders
Dates of operation1970s[1]–present
Merged into Taliban
Allegiance Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (since 1995)
Active regionsAfghanistan and Pakistan (AfPak)[2][3][4][5]
IdeologyIslamism
Islamic fundamentalism
StatusActive
Size4,000–15,000[3][6][7]
Part of
Allies1995–present
until 1992
OpponentsRepublican insurgency
War in Afghanistan
Soviet invasion and Civil War
Battles and warsSoviet–Afghan War
Afghan Civil War (1989–1992)
Afghan Civil War (1992–1996)
Afghan Civil War (1996–2001)
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Taliban insurgency
Operation Zarb-e-Azb
Islamic State–Taliban conflict[13]
2021 Taliban offensive[14][15]
Designated as a terrorist group by United States[16]
Preceded by
Students of Darul Uloom Haqqania[17]

The Haqqani network is an Afghan Islamist group, built around the family of the same name,[18] that has used asymmetric warfare in Afghanistan to fight against Soviet forces in the 1980s, and US-led NATO forces and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan government in the 21st century. It is recognized as a terrorist organization by the United Nations.[19] It is considered to be a "semi-autonomous"[20] offshoot of the Taliban.[21][22][23] It has been most active in eastern Afghanistan and across the border in north-west Pakistan.[24]

The Haqqani network was founded in 1970[25] by Jalaluddin Haqqani, a fundamentalist of the Zadran tribe, who fought for Yunus Khalis's mujahideen faction against the Soviets in the 1980s. Jalaluddin Haqqani died in 2018 and his son Sirajuddin Haqqani now leads the group.[26] The Haqqani network was one of the Reagan administration's most CIA-funded anti-Soviet groups in the 1980s.[27][3] In the latter stages of the war, Haqqani formed close ties with foreign jihadists, including Osama bin Laden,[20] becoming one of his closest mentors.[24] The Haqqani network pledged allegiance to the Taliban in 1995,[28] and has been an increasingly incorporated wing of the group ever since.[29] Taliban and Haqqani leaders have denied the existence of the "network", saying it is no different from the Taliban.[28] In 2012, the United States designated the Haqqani network as a terrorist organization.[30] In 2015, Pakistan banned the Haqqani network as part of its National Action Plan.[31]

The elusive[18] Haqqani network has been blamed for some of the deadliest attacks during the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021), having a reputation of frequently using suicide bombings and being able to carry out complex attacks. They had long been suspected by the United States of ties with the Pakistani military establishment, a claim denied by Pakistan.[20][24] They have also been suspected of criminal activities such as smuggling and trafficking across the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.[32] Alongside Al-Qaeda, the Haqqani network maintains close ties with the anti-India Jaish-e-Mohammed, and the Lashkar-e-Taiba.[32] Following the Fall of Kabul (2021), the group was put in charge of domestic security by the Taliban.[32] The Wall Street Journal called the group the Taliban's "most radical and violent branch."[33]

  1. ^ "Who are the Haqqanis?". Quilliam. Archived from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b "The Haqqani Network". Institute for the Study of War. Archived from the original on 20 February 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d Rassler, Don; Vahid Brown (14 July 2011). "The Haqqani Nexus and the Evolution of al-Qaida" (PDF). Harmony Program. Combating Terrorism Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Riechmann was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Gopal, Anand (1 June 2009). "The most deadly US foe in Afghanistan". The Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on 9 February 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Sirajuddin Haqqani dares US to attack N Waziristan". The Express Tribune. 23 September 2011. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference nytimes 15haqqani was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Taliban announces death of Jalaluddin Haqqani | FDD's Long War Journal". 4 September 2018. Archived from the original on 20 February 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference AsiaTimes040505 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Winchell, Sean P. (2003), "Pakistan's ISI: The Invisible Government", International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence, 16 (3): 374–388, doi:10.1080/713830449, S2CID 154924792
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bounties-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ "Afghanistan Faces Tough Battle as Haqqanis Unify the Taliban - ABC News". ABC News. 8 May 2016. Archived from the original on 8 May 2016.
  13. ^ Joscelyn, Thomas (25 June 2021). "Taliban's deputy emir issues guidance for governance in newly seized territory". FDD's Long War Journal. Archived from the original on 19 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  14. ^ Joscelyn, Thomas (7 June 2021). "U.N. report cites new intelligence on Haqqanis' close ties to al Qaeda". FDD's Long War Journal. Archived from the original on 19 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  15. ^ "Foreign Terrorist Organizations". United States Department of State. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  16. ^ Shah, Pir Zubair; Gall, Carlotta (31 October 2011). "For Pakistan, deep ties to militant network may trump U.S. Pressure". The New York Times.
  17. ^ a b Youssef, Sune Engel Rasmussen and Nancy A. (27 August 2021). "In Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan, Al Qaeda-Linked Haqqani Network Rises to Power". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 10 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021 – via www.wsj.com.
  18. ^ "1.3. Haqqani network". Archived from the original on 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  19. ^ a b c "The Haqqani network: Afghanistan's most feared militants". France 24. 21 August 2021. Archived from the original on 2 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  20. ^ Khan, Haq Nawaz; Constable, Pamela (19 July 2017). "A much-feared Taliban offshoot returns from the dead". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 23 April 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  21. ^ Alikozai, Hasib Danish (13 January 2018). "Afghan General: Haqqani Network, Not IS, Behind Spike in Violence". VoA News. Archived from the original on 18 May 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  22. ^ "What Is the Haqqani Network?". VOA News. June 2017. Archived from the original on 25 April 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  23. ^ a b c "What is the Haqqani network, which is linked to the Taliban and al-Qaeda?". The Independent. 7 September 2021. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022.
  24. ^ "Mapping Militants". Stanford University. 18 November 2017. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022.
  25. ^ Rosenberg, Matthew; Mehsud, Ihsanullah Tipu (31 July 2015). "Founder of Haqqani Network Is Long Dead Aide Says". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 16 May 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  26. ^ Abubakar Siddique (26 September 2011). "Questions Raised About Haqqani Network Ties with Pakistan". ETH Zurich Center for Security Studies. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on 26 December 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  27. ^ a b Anwar, Madeeha; Zahid, Noor (1 June 2017). "What Is the Haqqani Network?". Extremism Watch. Voice of America. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  28. ^ Mashal, Mujib (4 September 2018). "Taliban Say Haqqani Founder Is Dead. His Group Is More Vital Than Ever". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
  29. ^ "Haqqani network to be designated a terrorist group". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
  30. ^ Zahra-Malik, Mehreen (16 January 2015). "Pakistan bans Haqqani network after security talks with Kerry". Reuters. Archived from the original on 13 September 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2021 – via www.reuters.com.
  31. ^ a b c Vohra, Anchal (27 August 2021). "It's Crazy to Trust the Haqqanis". Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  32. ^ "In Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan, al Qaeda-Linked Haqqani Network Rises to Power". Wall Street Journal. 27 August 2021. Archived from the original on 10 September 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2021.