US-led forces in Afghanistan have detected an influx of Lashker-e-Taiba operatives in Nangarhar province and arrested several persons associated with the move to send Pakistani militants to fight alongside the Taliban. Though the International Security Assistance Force has publicly acknowledged the presence of LeT operatives in Afghanistan for the first time,members of the Pakistan-based group were involved in an attack in Nuristan province on July 13,2008 that killed nine American soldiers. Over the past few days,the ISAF and the US Department of Defence issued several statements that referred to the influx of LeT operatives in Nangarhar province,which borders Pakistan's Khyber tribal region. The Pakistani Taliban and several other banned groups are active in Khyber Agency. The ISAF identified the LeT as "the Pakistani-based terrorist organisation responsible for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks". On July 2,Afghan and international security forces captured a Taliban commander in Nangarhar who "assisted with the recent influx of LeT insurgents into the province". The commander was detained along with a facilitator and two suspected insurgents during a search operation near Khermane village in Khogyani district. Five days later,Afghan and international troops captured another Taliban commander linked to the "Taliban emir of Khogyani district and associated with the recent influx of LeT operatives" into Nangarhar. The commander was captured during an operation in Khogyani district. The ISAF said troops had detained several suspected insurgents in Hakimabad village of Khugyani district while pursuing the Taliban commander who "facilitates foreign fighters in the district". Several recent statements issued by the ISAF have also referred to the links between the Afghan Taliban and their Pakistani counterparts as well as militant commanders based in Pakistan's tribal belt,including the Haqqani network based in North Waziristan and Mullah Nazir based in South Waziristan. On July 7,the ISAF said it had captured two suspects while conducting a search for an Afghan Taliban commander with links in Pakistan. The search operation was mounted in Gelan district of Ghazni province. "An Afghan-international security force detained two suspected insurgents in Ghazni province. while pursuing a Taliban commander who is responsible for smuggling Pakistani,Chechen and Arab fighters and improvised explosive device materials into Shah Joy district from Pakistan," said an official statement. Another statement issued by ISAF on July 11 said: "An Afghan and international security force killed several insurgents and detained two suspected insurgents in Ghazni province yesterday while pursuing a Taliban commander in direct contact with Taliban leadership in Pakistan and associated with Al Qaida and Commander Nazir Group". Commander Nazir is Mullah Nazir,the leader of Wazir militants in South Waziristan with whom the Pakistani authorities have signed several peace deals.
