Taliban Arrests Commanders & Fighters On Charges Of 'Supporting Pakistani Militants'

Local sources claimed that the Taliban's intelligence agency has arrested a number of its fighters and commanders who had joined the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TPP) over the past few weeks.

Most of the detainees are members of the Haqqani group and were active in Afghanistan's border districts.

In the most recent case, the Taliban arrested Eid Mohammad Sangari, one of the group's well-known commanders, in Ismail Khel district of Khost province.

A source close to Sangari told Afghanistan International that he had recently joined the ranks of the Pakistani Taliban and had returned after fighting in Waziristan, Pakistan.

"He used to be the commander of a group in Nadir Shah Kot District of Khost Province, but recently he was unemployed and joined the Pakistani Taliban," the source said.

The Taliban commander played an important role in the wars with the forces of the former Afghan government and NATO, in the districts of Ismail Khel-Mandozai and Nadir Shah Kot.

Eid Mohammad Sangari has been accused of selling weapons related to the Taliban administration and participating in the fights between Pakistani militants and Pakistani security forces.

However, sources close to the Taliban commander say that "many Taliban commanders have joined the ranks of Pakistani militants like Sangari due to the Taliban's refusal to perform their duties”.

In the past two weeks, the Taliban’s intelligence agency has arrested a number of Taliban fighters who were cooperating with the TTP against the Pakistani army in Paktia and Paktika provinces and sent them to Pul-e-Charkhi prison in Kabul. Some of the militants were arrested in the Gomal border district of Paktika province.

A source close to the TTP told Afghanistan International that the group "pays 14,000 afghanis a month for rent and expenses for their families". "These fighters also have health insurance," the source said.

The Taliban has banned the participation of its fighters and commanders in the battles of the TTP. If they join the ranks of the Pakistani Taliban, they are "imprisoned for three to six months".

According to Afghanistan International sources, former Taliban fighters and commanders in Logar provinces, Maidan Wardak, Khost, Paktia, Paktika, Ghazni, Kunduz and Baghlan provinces who have not been given jobs in the group's government have joined the ranks of the Pakistani Taliban, which has caused concern for the Taliban.