Thread by @asfandyarmir

Observations from the @StateDeptCT country reports on terrorism related to al-Qaida, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, whose trends I generally track: 1/n state.gov/reports/countr…

On al-Qaida: "In 2019, the United States and its partners pursued AQ around the world. The organization faced
a significant setback with the elimination of Hamza bin Laden, Usama bin Laden’s son and a rising AQ leader."

"...group and its associated forces remained resilient and continued to pose a threat in Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere. Al Shabaab...[JNIM], and [HTS]/Al-Nusrah Front in Syria are among the world’s most active and dangerous terrorist groups"

"AQ’s network continues to exploit...global security gaps to recruit, fundraise, and plot attacks."

"In July 2019, a man from Cleveland, Ohio, was arrested for allegedly making plans for an AQ inspired bomb attack on...July 4th parade. In July 2019, Zawahiri called for extremists in Kashmir to attack Indian forces. [& in Sept] to attack U.S., European, Israeli, and Russian..."

"In South Asia, AQ’s core has been seriously degraded... however, remains a focal point of “inspiration” for a worldwide network...including the [IMU], [IJU], [LeJ],
Harakat ul-Mujahideen, and Jemaah Islamiya. The [TTP] and the Haqqani Network also have ties to AQ."

"AQIS has not claimed responsibility for any attacks since 2017. In 2019, Asim Umar, the head of AQIS, was killed in a joint U.S.-Afghan military operation...AQIS is estimated to have several hundred members...[in] Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan"

On Afghanistan: "Islamic State’s Khorasan Province
(ISIS-K), elements of al-Qa’ida, including affiliate al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), and terrorist groups targeting Pakistan, such as [TTP], continued to use the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region as a safe haven."

"The potential for WMD trafficking and proliferation [from and through Afghanistan] remained a concern."

On Pakistan: "Pakistan continued to serve as a safe haven for certain regionally focused terrorist groups. It allowed...Afghan Taliban [and] HQN, as well as groups targeting India, including LeT and its affiliated front organizations, and JeM, to operate from its territory."

"Pakistani military and security forces undertook CT
operations against groups that conducted attacks within Pakistan, such as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), ISIS-K, and the Balochistan Liberation Army.

"Pakistan took modest steps in 2019 to counter terror financing and to restrain some India-focused
militant groups...The Pakistani government also played a constructive role in U.S.-Taliban talks in 2019."

"Pak...indicted [LeT's]...Hafiz Saeed and 12 of his associates [but] made no effort...to prosecute other terrorist leaders such as JeM founder Masood Azhar and Sajid Mir, the mastermind of...Mumbai attacks...believed to reside in Pakistan under the protection of the state..."

"Pakistan’s progress on the most difficult aspects of its 2015 National Action Plan to counter terrorism remains unfulfilled – specifically its pledge to dismantle all terrorist organizations without delay and discrimination."

"The FATF expressed serious concern at its October 2019 plenary about Pakistan’s continued deficiencies but noted it had made some progress and extended the deadline for full Action Plan implementation to February 2020."

"Pakistan experienced significant terrorist threats in 2019, although the number of attacks and casualties was lower than in 2018, continuing an overall year-on-year decline."

"Pakistan is committed to combating the trafficking of items that could contribute to the development of WMDs and their delivery systems." n/n

On al-Qaida and Iran which I missed: "Tehran also continued to permit an al-Qa’ida (AQ) facilitation network to operate in Iran, sending money and fighters to conflict zones in Afghanistan and Syria, and it still allowed AQ members to reside in the country." n+1/n