BUDAPEST, Hungry: Hungarian intelligence agencies have issued a report warning Germany of the heightened risk that people smuggling networks along the Balkan route are controlled by the Taliban, that has held power in Afghanistan since the US withdrawal.
The intelligence document highlights the increased threat of terrorism linked to migratory pressure, particularly since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas.
According to the report, smuggling gangs operating along the Balkan migration route are allegedly under the direct control of the Taliban intelligence service. Leaders of these networks are identified as relatives of members of the Taliban government and the Taliban-linked Haqqani militia network. Two Afghan gangs, known as “400-59” and “313,” are specifically mentioned in the report, competing with each other and known for using AK-47 rifles to guide migrants north.
The Hungarian intelligence document draws attention to the ease with which members of the Islamic State, Al-Qaeda, and the Haqqani network can reach Europe. They can obtain a Tajik passport, providing visa-free travel to Russia, and then, from Moscow, easily reach Belgrade, Serbia, and subsequently the European Union.
Gerald Tatzgern, head of the Austrian Interior Ministry’s operational office for combating people smuggling, underscores the significant migratory pressure in the Balkans, especially with Pakistan expelling around 1.7 million Afghans.
In response to the report, Joachim Herrmann, the Bavarian interior minister, emphasizes the necessity of robust protection of external borders to address potential security gaps that smugglers and criminals, alongside terrorists, could exploit. The report comes at a time when illegal entries into Germany reached 20,000 in September, the highest monthly figure since February 2016, fueling concerns about border security and immigration policies.
