New Delhi, July 23: Indian and US assets in Afghanistan are on target of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba and ISIS terrorists active in the war-torn country. According to a report, Pakistan army is helping Lashkar-e-Taiba and ISIS in drawing a plan to target Indian and US assets in Afghanistan. The report comes at a time when international pressure is mounting on Pakistan to step up action against terrorists active on its soil.

A team of the Pakistani army and the country’s spy agency Inter- Services Intelligence (ISI) met operatives of Lashkar-e-Taiba recently in Jaba area of Dangam district in Kunar province. During the meeting, Lashkar-e-Taiba commanders were directed to carry out attacks on Indian and US assets in Afghanistan, Hindustan Times reported quoting intelligence officials and diplomats in New Delhi and Washington. Jamaat-ud-Dawah's 'Child' Soldiers: Hafiz Saeed Preparing Army of Minors to Continue Jihad Against India.

Lashkar-e-Taiba commanders have been asked to target Indian and US assets by suicide bombers sent from Pakistan, the report added. "LeT’s presence in Afghanistan has been observed to be steadily on the rise. According to recent inputs, Hafiz Saeed’s son Talha Saeed is taking more interest in operational affairs in Afghanistan," an Indian official was quoted as saying in the report. Hafiz Saeed, who founded the terror outfit, was recently arrested.

The report further states Lashkar-e-Taiba has its fighters in Badakhshan, Laghman, Kabul, Ghazni, Wardak, Paktia, Paktika, Khost, Kandahar and Helmand provinces where they get tactic support from ISIS operatives. Lashkar-e-Taiba also coordinates with al-Qaeda and Taliban in attacks on foreign and Afghan forces. According to a UN panel, the Pakistan-based terror outfit was a key provider of fighters, weapons and finance for the Taliban and Haqqani Network.

Meanwhile, terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed has too stepped up its operations in Afghanistan and its cadres are fighting under the leadership of the Taliban, the report mentioned.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 23, 2019 10:56 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).