Al Qaeda leader extends an invitation to foreign militants to join training sessions in Afghanistan, with the ultimate goal of attacking the West: "A haven for terrorists"

Saif al-Adl, Al Qaeda's leader in Afghanistan, urged foreign fighters worldwide to relocate to Afghanistan and become part of the jihadist organization.

The Foundation for the Defense of Democracies’ Long War Journal has published a new report that reveals al-Adl's call for foreigners to come to Afghanistan since the Taliban regained control of Kabul in 2021.

According to Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of the Long War Journal, the message officially declares Afghanistan as a haven for terrorists.

Al-Qaeda has established a strong presence in Afghanistan, with training camps in 10 provinces, religious schools, safe houses, a weapons depot, and a media operations center. The group is warning that it intends to use this terror infrastructure to launch attacks against the West.

Across Afghanistan's 34 provinces, including in Panjshir, the terror group has set up training camps for terrorism. The United Nations estimates that al Qaeda has approximately 600 members, but Roggio believes that the official estimates of their strength have been underestimated over the years.

According to Roggio and Weiss, Adl's call for supporters to migrate to Afghanistan provides Al Qaeda with an opportunity to capitalize on its infrastructure and safe haven within the country.

Adl published a pamphlet titled "This is Gaza: A War of Existence, Not a War of Borders," which aims to motivate individuals to acquire skills, expertise, and information on how to execute attacks against "Zionist" and Western objectives.

Adl's pamphlet advocates for Muslims to retaliate against Zionist interests in all Islamic lands due to the continuation of the genocide in Gaza. According to Adl, tragedies such as 9/11 and Oct. 7 terrorist attacks are appropriate responses. Additionally, Adl supports and promotes homegrown terrorism within Western countries as a way to deter domestic threats.

It is not surprising to many observers of the region that al Qaeda is using Afghanistan as a base to launch terrorist attacks on the West, 20 years after the 9/11 attacks.

According to Max Abrahms, a terrorism expert and professor of political science at Northeastern University, the call by al Qaeda leaders for foreign fighters to come to Afghanistan will substantially increase the likelihood of foreign fighters heading there. This development will not be surprising for hawks who warned about the dangers of withdrawing from Afghanistan.

Adl views Afghanistan as a blueprint for Muslims worldwide to establish themselves and sees the Taliban as an exemplary model of Islamic rule for future Islamic nations to follow. According to many analysts and strategists, al Qaeda's primary focus would remain on local issues in the countries where it operates. However, a recent statement from Adl indicates that the group has broader aspirations and plans to attack the West.

In February 2023, a United Nations report stated that Adl became al Qaeda's third emir, succeeding Ayman al-Zawahiri, who had replaced Usama bin Laden and was killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2022. Unlike his predecessors, Adl had military experience, having served in the Egyptian army before joining the mujahideen to fight against the Soviet invasion and occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s. He later joined al Qaeda, where he helped plot major international terrorist attacks, including the suicide bombings at the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.

The 2020 Doha Agreement, brokered by former President Trump and executed by President Biden, established the foundation for the removal of all American troops in exchange for a Taliban commitment to prevent any terrorist organization from utilizing Afghan soil to endanger or attack the United States or its allies. At the time, it was unclear whether the Taliban would formally cut ties with al Qaeda.

The State Department spokesperson informed Planet Chronicle Digital that the U.S. will continue to pressure the Taliban to fulfill their counterterrorism pledges and prevent terrorist attacks from being launched from Afghan soil. If the Taliban do not meet their obligations, the U.S. retains the ability to respond with over-the-horizon capabilities, as demonstrated by the strike that killed al-Zawahiri in 2022, the spokesperson stated.

The Taliban and Al-Qaeda continue to be closely aligned and have not shown any signs of breaking ties, according to multiple United Nations Monitoring reports from 2024.

While al Qaeda has weakened in Afghanistan and Pakistan, its affiliates in Africa and Yemen will keep the group's global network intact as it continues to aim at targeting the US and US citizens.