Iranian media has claimed that Pakistan is using former Afghan military personnel against Baloch freedom fighters.
According to a report by Iran’s semi-official media outlet Tasnim News, Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies use government-backed armed groups to operate against Baloch separatists in Balochistan, and a number of former Afghan security personnel have also joined these groups.
The report, published on August 6, claims that so-called “death squads” in Balochistan are active with the support of Pakistan’s security agencies and play a role in security operations and counter-insurgency operations in collaboration with the army, border forces and the country’s intelligence agencies.
According to the report, these groups act as proxy forces and participate in some of Pakistan’s security operations without being formally incorporated into the state structure.
The report further claims that a number of former Afghan security personnel, who left Afghanistan after the collapse of the democratic government in 2021, have joined Pakistan’s security agencies and so-called armed groups (death squads). The reasons for the recruitment of these individuals are cited as military training, combat experience and familiarity with border operations.
The report states that the use of former Afghan personnel gives Pakistan-backed armed groups the opportunity to benefit from experienced personnel without formally increasing the number of their security forces.
The media report further claims that the main priority of former Afghan personnel is to obtain financial resources and continue their lives.
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