Militants returning from Syria, new security challenge for Pakistan

According to Pakistan media, the security forces of the country have expressed concern after the announcement of the Ansar-ul-Sharia militant group’s formation in Pakistan.

Reports quoting sources in police’s Counter-Terrorism Department said it is actually the Pakistan chapter of the Ansar-ul-Sharia that had been fighting in Syria.

No one can exactly tell how many militants have returned from Syria, but according to some intelligence estimates a significant number of militants have come back.

New militant group Ansar-ul-Sharia claimed on social media that a large number of individuals, specifically from Karachi and south Punjab, who had travelled to Syria to fight alongside Daesh, were returning home after they had become ‘disillusioned’ with the message and practices of Daesh.

But based on the current situation in Syria, the CTD official believed that so far the militants had not come back home in large numbers.

Even if a small number of militants had arrived they were ‘battle hardened’ and had greater experience than local militants, the official said, explaining that they could act as a ‘force multiplier’ enabling small splinter groups such as Ansar-ul-Sharia Pakistan to launch major targeted attacks.

Since April the Ansar-ul-Sharia had carried out three attacks targeting police officials and an ex-army officer.

According to intelligence estimates, with Daesh having suffered significant territorial losses in Syria and Iraq in recent months, it would be difficult for Daesh to retain as many militants as possible to continue the fight.

However, the number of returnees is likely to surge in the event of the collapse of Daesh as in that case all surviving foreign fighters will attempt to return to their home countries to establish militant networks there.

272**1723**2050