UN reports veteran Al Qaeda leader likely back in action in Afghanistan

The United Nations (UN) has reported that a veteran leader of Al Qaeda, Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, is likely back in action in Afghanistan. Abdullah, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Masri, was reportedly killed in Tehran by Israeli agents in August 2020, but the UN report suggests that he is now active again.

The report, which was submitted to the UN Security Council by a monitoring team, states that Abdullah is believed to be operating under the new leadership of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), which has been active in Afghanistan since 2014. The report adds that AQIS has been strengthening its position in the country in recent months, and that Abdullah's return could provide the group with further momentum.

Abdullah was a senior member of Al Qaeda and one of its founders, and had a $10 million bounty on his head from the US government. He was indicted in the US for his alleged involvement in the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, which killed over 200 people. The UN report states that he has been involved in a number of recent attacks in Afghanistan, including a suicide bombing in Kabul in December 2022 that killed 21 people.

The report also warns that Al Qaeda's presence in Afghanistan could pose a threat to the ongoing peace process in the country. The Taliban, who currently control much of Afghanistan, have been engaged in talks with the Afghan government in an effort to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. However, the report states that Al Qaeda's continued presence in the country could undermine these efforts and lead to further violence.

The UN report comes as the US and its allies continue to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan, with the process expected to be completed by the end of 2023. The withdrawal has raised concerns about the ability of the Afghan government to maintain security and stability in the country, particularly in the face of the ongoing Taliban insurgency and the resurgence of groups like Al Qaeda.

The UN report is likely to add to these concerns, and could lead to renewed calls for the international community to remain engaged in Afghanistan in order to prevent the country from becoming a safe haven for terrorists once again.