Growing role of Afghan nationals in terrorism in Pakistan

On 26 October 2025, in the heart of Rennes, France, a group from the Afghan community gathered at Masjid At-Taqwa to offer condolences for a fallen Afghan national, Mulla Sadam. At first, it seemed like a normal condolence gathering. However, it revealed a more worrying reality: the presence of individuals sympathetic to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Mulla Sadam was not an ordinary Afghan national. He was identified as one of three TTP terrorists killed in an operation by Pakistani security forces in Bajaur District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Also known as Huzaifa, he was the son of Abdul Baqi and a resident of PD-3, Kunduz province, Afghanistan. Sadam had crossed into Pakistan with three other TTP members. Pakistani security forces took swift action and killed them on 19 October 2025 in Bajaur District, near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, an area often used for infiltration by TTP terrorists.

Mulla Sadam’s death reiterates Pakistan’s claim of the ongoing problem of cross-border terrorism. It solidifies that Pakistan faces a continued threat of terrorism emanating from Afghan territory. TTP is well known to use Afghanistan for infiltrating, attacking, and hiding after attacks against Pakistan. Security officials in Pakistan have said that operations like the one in Bajaur are meant to stop such infiltration.

The fact that Afghan nationals were involved raises questions about how these militants are recruited, trained, and allowed to cross borders so easily. For Pakistan, this incident is more evidence that Afghanistan must take action against groups that use its land to attack other countries. Pakistan has urged the Afghan government on multiple occasions to curb terrorism originating from its land.

The condolence ceremonies for Mulla Sadam in Rennes also show that support networks for banned militant groups exist not only in Afghanistan but also among Afghan communities abroad. Events like these glorify people linked to terrorism and can spread extremist ideas among Afghan communities in Europe. While a condolence event for a terrorist in Afghanistan is itself a worrying matter, one in a European city like Rennes is more concerning. It suggests that the Afghan diaspora sympathizes with terrorists and continues to honour them publicly.

From a European security point of view, this is a worrying trend. Allowing such events could go against European laws that forbid public support for banned organizations. Holding gatherings for people linked to terrorism can create space for extremist ideas and encourage sympathy for violent groups. The event in Rennes shows that people connected to banned organizations are being openly honoured outside South Asia, which raises serious concerns about radicalization and extremist influence among immigrant communities.

At the same time, the ceremony in France raises questions for European governments. Authorities may need to look more closely at diaspora networks that hold such events and ensure they are not used to promote extremist ideas or support militant causes. The connection between militant groups in South Asia and some members of the diaspora in Europe shows that terrorism is not limited to one country or region. It moves through ideas, networks, and communities across borders. This complex, multi-layered threat is a warning for Europe to remain vigilant of the activities of the Afghan diaspora.

The killing of Mulla Sadam and his associates was a short-term success for Pakistan’s security forces. But the larger challenge that remains is to break not only the networks of fighters but also the wider international systems of support that allow militancy and extremism to survive.

Writer is a security analyst and freelance contributor