Showing posts with label IMU. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IMU. Show all posts

Sunday, January 10, 2016

IMU in Afghanistan

Map of Uzbekistan (CIA) 
"The 2015 fall of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), a Central Asian jihadi movement that has long fought alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, highlights the impact of two fundamental shifts in the jihadi landscape during 2015. Mobilized by the Afghan Taliban's two-year-long deception over the death of the Taliban's enigmatic and magnetic former leader, Mullah Omar, the IMU responded to the Islamic State's (IS) attempts to create a foothold in Afghanistan".
Read more in "2015 Restrospective: How the Fall of the IMU Reveals the Limits of IS' Expansion", by Margaret Foster, INSITE Blog on Terrorism & Extremism, January 4, 2016.

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Afghan Security News


Foreign Troops Deploy to Kunar. Provincial security officials say that over 150 foreign troops have been deployed to the city of Assadabad in Kunar province in a bid to strengthen security in the province. If true this would be the first time that ISAF . .  oops . . . RS forces have been in the province for a long period of time in over two years. See "Over 100 Foreign Troops Deployed to Kunar"Tolo News, November 28, 2015.

Mass Defections in Nuristan Province. According to some news reports (and Taliban statements) hundreds of security personnel and government officials have defected to the Taliban over the past few weeks in Nuristan province. (The Long War Journal, Dec 1, 2015).

40% of Released Prisoners Resume Fight. The Afghan Chief of Army Staff says that 40% of the Afghan insurgents detained and subsequently released from prison are back on the battlefield. (Tolo News, Dec 2, 2015).

Another U.S. Embassy Warning. The U.S. State Department has issued an updated warning to its citizens about possible attacks in Kabul. (Gandhara Blog, Nov 30, 2015).

U.S. Reaffirms Support to Afghanistan. The U.S.-led NATO coalition and the United States has reaffirmed its commitment to Afghanistan's security forces and said it will not leave the Afghan forces alone on the battlefield. Hmmmm. (Tolo News, Nov 29, 2015).

Pakistan Shelling Afghanistan. The Afghan ambassador to the United Nations detailed the attacks that Pakistan has conducted with its heavy artillery shelling from across the border into Afghanistan. He also noted that external support to the Taliban and other terrorist groups was primarily motivated by regional rivalry. Read more in "Pakistan accused of violating Afghanistan's sovereignty"Pajhwok Afghan News, December 1, 2015.

What of the IMU? Keeping track of the various groups of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) can be difficult but several observers recently gathered to provide their thoughts. Read "The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan Comes Unraveled", Qishloq Ovozi Blog - Radio Free Europe, November 28, 2015.

Insecurity in Afghanistan and Militias. The Afghan National Defense Security Forces (ANDSF) have had a difficult fighting season in 2015. The Taliban inflicted many casualties and solidified their hold on several districts throughout the country. In addition, some Taliban groups have rebranded themselves as ISIS - especially in Nangarhar and Zabul provinces.The country has also seen an increase in private militias - some funded by the National Directorate of Security (NDS) and others funded by local or regional strongmen (powerbrokers or warlords). Read more in "Afghanistan's precarious security has officials pointing fingers", by Ali M. Latifi and Mohammaed Aharun Arsalai, Los Angeles Times, November 30, 2015.

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Islamic State in Afghanistan

IMU Supports IS. The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) has reportedly sworn allegiance to the Islamic State. This information comes from a video posted by the IMU-controlled Furqon TV on July 31st. Read more in "IMU Pledges Allegiance to Islamic State", Inside the Cocoon - Eurasianet.org, August 1, 2015. www.eurasianet.org/node/74471

Friday, March 13, 2015

Extremists Flourishing in Northern Afghanistan

There are indications that parts of northern Afghanistan is slowly slipping into the grasp of militants. This has Central Asian nations north of the Afghan border quite concerned. Taliban groups, the IMU, and possibly newly-formed groups aligned with or part of the Islamic State have increased their influence. It would appear that the groups are cooperating with one another. Read more in "Militant Melting Pot: Extremists Flourish South of Turkmenistan", Qishloq Ovoz Blog - Radio Free Europe, March 11, 2015.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Central Asia and Afghan Drawdown

Central Asian states are concerned about the spread of ISIS and the possible flow of insurgents northward from the Afghan nation. The situation in northern Afghanistan gets worse and worse as years go by. The ability of the Coalition under the new Resolute Support Mission to influence or shape events on the ground in what used to be referred to as Regional Command North (RC North) is minimal. Train, Advise, Assist Command - North, under German leadership, has little strength in numbers and very little combat power. Air support is non-existent and comes out of Bagram if at all. The small amount of troops not dedicated to staff, command, advising, or support are providing "force protection" and "guardian angel" services. Confined to Camp Marmal, except when advisors and their force protection detail head to the 209th Corp HQs, the Coalition sees very little on what is happening in northern Afghanistan. TAAC North's intelligence assets are very likely limited and probably blind on the true tactical situation. Relying on the intelligence provided by the 209th Corps, OCC-R, ANP, and ABP is problematic.

The Taliban, IMU, and other insurgent groups have made great inroads into northern Afghanistan and the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have proven themselves not up to the challenge. There is a very real threat to the Central Asian states to the north. While ISAF may be blind to the situation the Central Asian states are aware of what the future may bring.

Read more in "Central Asia and Afghanistan as the Drawdown Deadline Arrives", Gandhara Blog - Radio Free Europe, December 29, 2014.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

IMU - Alive and Well and Desirable

The Uzbeks from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) have acquired a reputation as experienced bomb makers in Afghanistan and in Pakistan's tribal areas. Since Uzbekistan has a high literacy rate they are able to read manuals on mixing explosives and constructing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). In addition, again the literacy thing, they can understand and utilize the Internet to provide propaganda on websites and through social media, exchange information (covertly), and gather intelligence (using OSINT or Open Source Intelligence techniques). While the IMU in northern and northeastern Afghanistan were hit hard in 'night raids' by the U.S. and ISAF special operations forces the past few years, the pressure has diminished a bit due to the draw down of conventional and SOF from Afghanistan. The ANA and ANP special operations units (ANASF, Commandos, CRU 222, PSUs, etc.) are capable but there are not enough of them and the ANSF intelligence structure is still in its infancy. Thus the IMU are starting to re-establish themselves once again. The members of the IMU are not only active in northern Afghanistan and western Pakistan; they are found as members of other insurgent groups in Central Asia. In addition, a significant number of Central Asians (members of IMU among them) can be found fighting with the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Read more in "Central Asia's Desirable Militants", Radio Free Europe, November 6, 2014.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

IMU Leader Killed in Northern Afghanistan

A leader of the Jundullah militant group has been reported killed (news from a spokesman of the National Directorate of Security or NDS). The Jundullah is another name for the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Read more in "Militant Leader Killed in Northern Afghanistan", Radio Free Europe, October 17, 2014.

Monday, October 13, 2014

IMU Weakened

The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) has operated in northern Afghanistan, eastern Afghanistan, and northwestern Pakistan for a number of years. It suffered a high rate of casualties in the last three or four years as a result of stepped up targeting by U.S. special operations forces. At the moment it is severely weakened. In an attempt to strengthen its position it has recently allied itself with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS or ISIL). Read more in "Helplessness forces IMU to call itself an ISIL partner", Central Asia Online, October 10, 2014.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

The IMU Targeted by ISAF in Northern Afghanistan

Map of Uzbekistan
As ISAF goes through its withdrawal process in northern Afghanistan its ability to affect the battlefield is being restricted more and more. Germany, the major player for ISAF in the north, is slowly withdrawing as well. However, the insurgents still have a presence. That includes the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan or IMU. The IMU is linked with al Qaeda and has been a persistent thorn in the side of ISAF for a number of years. Lately, ISAF has been paying more attention to the IMU. Read more on the topic in "ISAF targets IMU suicide bombing network following deadly attack", The Long War Journal, March 18, 2013. Read more news reports about the IMU.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Uzbekistan to be Confronted by IMU after 2014

Many Central Asian observers fear that the 'stans - in particular Uzbekistan - will be at risk after the U.S. and other Western nations pull out completely in Afghanistan. The general consensus is that the Taliban will still control significant areas in eastern and southern Afghanistan. The insurgent sanctuaries offered by Pakistan will still exist. Insurgent groups such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan or IMU will grow stronger and resume their insurgent fight in Uzbekistan. Read more on this topic in "After the Afghan Pullout, the Dangers for Central Asia", Radio Free Europe, February 17, 2013.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

IMU Leader Killed in Afghanistan - Makhdum Nusrat

An operation in Shirin Tagab district, Faryab province resulted in the killing of Makhdum Nusrat, the senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader in Afghanistan. Several other IMU insurgents were also killed. Makhdum was the highest-ranking IMU insurgent operating in the country. He led attacks against Afghan and coalition troops throughout the northern provinces for the last eight months and was plotting the assassination of an Afghan Parliament member in Kabul.

Read an ISAF press release about the operation in "Senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader killed during operation", DVIDS, March 27, 2012. Learn more about the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan here.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) active in Northern Afghanistan

The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) is an al-Qaeda linked terrorist organization active in both Uzbekistan and northern Afghanistan. ISAF has been successfully targeting this organizations leadership.  Read more in "ISAF continues to target IMU leaders in the Afghan north", The Long War Journal, December 30, 2010.