Friday, September 29, 2006
UN report - Al-Qaeda's activity in Iraq may decrease
Insurgency
Al-Qaida's activity in Iraq may diminish as violence escalates and distinctions blur between sectarian attacks, criminal acts and the fight against Iraqi and non-Iraqi forces, according to a U.N. report. In Afghanistan, the report said, Taliban rebels continue to benefit from a close relationship with al-Qaida and other foreign terrorist groups. As an example, it said, "new explosive devices are now used in Afghanistan within a month of their first appearing in Iraq."
The report by terrorism experts working for the U.N. Security Council committee monitoring sanctions against the Taliban and al-Qaida painted a grim picture of escalating violence and the spread of attacks. "While the Taliban have not been found fighting outside Afghanistan/Pakistan, there have been reports of them training in both Iraq and Somalia," it said. In the last six months, the experts said, "the violence in Afghanistan has increased considerably, and there has been no let up in Iraq, with al-Qaida's contribution remaining disproportionate to its size."
The report by terrorism experts working for the U.N. Security Council committee monitoring sanctions against the Taliban and al-Qaida painted a grim picture of escalating violence and the spread of attacks. "While the Taliban have not been found fighting outside Afghanistan/Pakistan, there have been reports of them training in both Iraq and Somalia," it said. In the last six months, the experts said, "the violence in Afghanistan has increased considerably, and there has been no let up in Iraq, with al-Qaida's contribution remaining disproportionate to its size."
But as Iraq "continues to slide towards civil war, al-Qaida may paradoxically see more losses than gains," the experts' report said. "It has gained by continuing to play a central role in the fighting and in encouraging the growth of sectarian violence; and Iraq has provided many recruits and an excellent training ground," it said. But the experts said "the prominent role of al-Qaida may diminish as the violence escalates between communities, and distinctions blur between sectarian attacks on markets and places of worship, or purely criminal kidnapping and protection rackets on the one hand, and the fight against Iraqi and non-Iraqi forces on the other."
Also on the down side for al-Qaida, the report said several intelligence and security agencies told the experts that fewer foreign fighters have been killed or captured in Iraq in recent months, "suggesting that the flow has slackened." On returning home, they noted that some fighters had expressed dissatisfaction that they were asked to kill fellow Muslims rather than foreign soldiers and that the only role for them was to be suicide bombers.
Also on the down side for al-Qaida, the report said several intelligence and security agencies told the experts that fewer foreign fighters have been killed or captured in Iraq in recent months, "suggesting that the flow has slackened." On returning home, they noted that some fighters had expressed dissatisfaction that they were asked to kill fellow Muslims rather than foreign soldiers and that the only role for them was to be suicide bombers.
