Iran has decided to construct a concrete wall at few border sections with Afghanistan. Illegal border crossing from Afghanistan is a prime concern which compelled Iran to opt for an extraordinary hard security measure. Severity of intrusion concerns may be gauged from this fact that Supreme National Security Council of Iran has allocated more than $ 3 billion budget for construction of border wall. Phased construction process is likely to complete in next three years. A 13 feet high concrete wall will be further supplemented with barbed wires to seal off the border areas vulnerable to illegal crossings.
Iran shares 920 kilometers long border with Afghanistan which has remained vulnerable to frequent crossings amid forty years long turbulence in eastern neighbor. According to media reports, in first phase Iran is going to secure 74 kilometers length of border sections along Khorasan province. Though, border crossings always posed troubles to Iran, however, nature of threats drastically worsen after Taliban took over control of Kabul three years back. Notorious terrorist group Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) claimed major attacks in Kerman and Shiraz which took more than a hundred lives. Growing threat of hardcore terrorist attacks has compelled Iran to enhance the presence of security forces on vulnerable border areas.
Afghanistan-Iran
Complex entanglement of Iran with Israel and the United States of American is another important factor magnifying security threats emanating from anywhere else including the Afghanistan. In this context, Iran’s efforts for enhancement of border security with Afghanistan makes perfect sense. Unsettled political chaos in Afghanistan is worsening with every passing day. Multiple factors are contributing towards growing instability of Afghanistan. Interim Afghan government’s self-style ruling model is a major hurdle in securing diplomatic recognition from regional and international players. Everything is not in order on internal front of Afghanistan. Despite portraying robustness to the world,
Taliban regime feels threatened internally from political and ideological rivals. Secular segments of Afghan society commonly known as Northern Front pose a potent threat to current Taliban ruling regime. Next major threat is emanating from terrorist groups like IS-K, Khawarij (TTP) and AQ. Foot soldiers of these hardcore terrorist groups are capable enough to dismantle the interim Afghan setup by joining hands with any anti-Taliban force. Presence of dissenting Taliban elements in ranks and files of IS-K has been revealed repeatedly by independent analysts and international watchdogs. Likewise, active presence of banned TTP’s top leadership and fighters in Afghanistan is an intriguing truth which poses variety of challenges at regional front.
Khawarij in Afghanistan
Khawarij (TTP) is involved in major terrorist attacks inside Pakistan. After retreating from Pakistan in the past, terrorist commanders of banned TTP accompanied with thousands of foot soldiers found shelters on Afghan soil with full support of current ruling regime of Taliban. Pakistan has openly urged Afghanistan to evict the banned terrorist groups amid their involvement in heinous attacks. Expressing security concerns to Kabul on account of cross-border terrorism is a sort of permanent exercise taking place from Pakistan side even before the arrival of Taliban on helms of affairs. Inaction on part of Afghanistan eventually compelled Islamabad to secure borders with fencing on Pakistan side. Afghan rulers opposed the laborious fencing exercise and adopted non-cooperative policies without realizing the security concerns of Pakistan. Ironically, situation has started worsening after the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul as evident from alarming surge in cross border terrorist attacks inside Pakistan. Taliban’s soft corner towards terrorist organizations is endangering the regional security. Unfortunately, interim Afghan government is not taking the security concerns of neighboring countries seriously.
Tehran’s decision to build border security wall has loudly endorsed the cross-border terrorism specific concerns of Pakistan as well. Numerous security reports of the United Nations have explicitly pointed out the close linkage between interim Taliban regime and hardcore terrorist groups. Fencing and construction of security wall by Pakistan and Iran respectively on borders of Afghanistan is undeniable proof of terrorist threats endangering both neighbors. Regional consensus on growing terrorism threats emanating from Afghanistan is gradually strengthening. Strong objections raised by the UN and EU on close linkage of Afghan Taliban with terrorist groups reflect the mood of international community. During recent SCO meeting Pakistan’s PM explicitly emphasized on joint regional efforts to combat the menace of terrorism. Afghan Taliban’s unflinching denial mode on the pinching issue of cross-border terrorism has many unaffordable consequences. Cross-border terrorist attacks planned and executed from Afghan soil are directly hurting the strategic interests of Pakistan, China and Iran. Despite some lukewarm operations against IS-K, terrorist group has spread its wings in Russian territories as evident from recently executed attacks. Tehran’s decision to construct border security wall is strong endorsement of Pakistan’s concerns on cross-border terrorism flourishing right under the nose of Afghan Taliban regime.
