The Taliban has quietly relocated numerous families linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from Afghanistan’s Kunar province to other regions, including Ghazni and Zabul, reports afghan media on Monday.
According to residents in Kunar, the relocations began roughly a month ago and were carried out by a special Taliban committee in coordination with TTP. Military vehicles were reportedly used to transport families from districts such as Khas Kunar, Marawara, Dara-i-Pech (Mano Gai), Sirkanay, and Dangam.
Locals in Khas Kunar confirmed that many of these families originally came from Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, particularly from Bajaur and Mohmand tribal regions. A tribal elder stated that around 25 families tied to the TTP, previously living in the Wali and Shali valleys, have now been relocated. However, the families of two high-ranking TTP members, Mullah Haidar, responsible for finances, and Qari Kamran, linked to intelligence, remain in the area.
Residents also alleged that TTP members have been collecting ushr (an Islamic tax) and financial donations from local communities. In Shungari Valley of Sirkanay district, villagers reported that TTP families, once discreet, now move about openly, often armed and traveling in vehicles.
Some families initially relocated to Ghazni from Khost and Paktika provinces have reportedly returned due to inadequate living conditions in their new settlements.
Earlier in the year, Afghanistan International reported the secret transfer of dozens of TTP families from the Gulan camp in Khost, nearby villages, Ismail Khel district, and parts of Paktika to refugee camps in Ghazni. Taliban authorities reportedly provided each family member with a monthly stipend of $40, as well as transportation and basic household expenses.
Under a confidential agreement between the Taliban and TTP, relocated individuals were not to be photographed, registered biometrically, or officially documented. A source involved in the operation noted that families agreed to relocate only with assurances of privacy and ongoing financial aid.
TTP fighters were also offered relocation to other provinces, Logar, Maidan Wardak, Kunduz, and Baghlan, where fellow Mehsud and Wazir tribes reside. However, they refused, fearing that moving farther from the border would hinder access to military resources.
In Ghazni, sources say that only the families of lower-level fighters have been moved to Qarabagh district, while those related to senior TTP commanders are residing in Kabul and other major cities.
As of now, neither the Taliban nor the TTP has made any official statement regarding the relocations.
It’s worth mentioning that Pakistan has been calling on Taliban to take action against the banned TTP and other terror groups who are involved in cross-border terrorism.
Yesterday, at the weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stressed that cross-border terrorism remains a top concern in diplomatic engagements with the Afghan authorities. He asserted that Pakistan possesses credible evidence proving that the TTP and BLA are operating from Afghan soil with external assistance.
“These groups continue to pose a serious threat to Pakistan’s security, and we have raised this matter repeatedly with Kabul,” Khan said.
The spokesperson further alleged that India has been backing Baloch insurgents, citing what he described as documented proof of Indian involvement in destabilizing activities through support for groups like the BLA.
