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Taliban Fighters ‘May Foment’ Trouble in Jammu and Kashmir
Monday, February 4, 2002
Press Trust of India (PTI)

A new militant outfit, comprising “thousands” of Pakistani Taliban fighters airlifted by Islamabad following the siege of the Afghan town of Kunduz two months ago, “might step up violence in Jammu and Kashmir in the coming weeks and months”, a media report said.

The outfit, called ‘Shoora-e-Furqan’ or Assembly of Believers, “would be based in Pakistan-administered Kashmir” and is likely to step up violent activities “to prove that jehad in Kashmir is not dead”, a web news agency Indo-Asian News Service, said quoting sources “who claim to be privy to information inside Afghanistan and Pakistan”.

While about 5,000 Taliban and Al- Qaida fighters were reportedly airlifted from Kunduz by Pakistan in November-December last year, it quoted sources as saying the number was “much higher”.

According to “a source in Kabul close to assassinated Northern Alliance Commander Ahmed Shah Masood”, there were between 25,000 to 30,000 Taliban, Pakistani and Al- Qaida fighters at Kunduz at that time.

“While about 6,000 of them surrendered, Pakistani military aircraft evacuated the others”, the source told the news agency, adding that it was a “day and night operation which continued for several days” and could not have taken place without the knowledge of US forces.

“It is not only top Taliban leaders who have disappeared, hundreds of missiles, tanks and artillery guns which the Taliban had in its armoury have also disappeared without a trace,” the report said.
(More: TribuneIndia.com News Source)
2002 © Press Trust of India Ltd.

Dan