Visit of Senior Al-Qaeda Representatives to Kandahar
A Prelude to New Strategic Coordination and Operational Expansion
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Date of Report: 1 May 2025
Detailed Overview: Three senior members of the Al-Qaeda network entered Afghanistan on 29 April 2025 through the border region of Nimruz Province via Zahedan in Iran and Zabul. They later traveled to Kandahar. These individuals are reported as part of the Central Committee of Al Qaeda’s Central Asia Branch.
The delegation included Sheik Abu Muawiyah Sattam Al-Dimashqi (a Syrian national responsible for Al Qaeda’s military training and affairs of foreign fighters, Sheikh Abdula Fattah Abu Hamza (an Egyptian national, advisor on intelligence coordination and financial support), and Qari Mohammad Akbar, known as Qari Gulbuddin Abdul Rahim (a resident of Helmand Province, responsible for internal coordination and regional liaison in Afghanistan).
The delegation currently resides in the former house of Mullah Omar, located in District 9 of Kandahar City, which has been prepared as their initial accommodation. During their stay, the group plans to meet not only with senior Al-Qaeda figures based in Kandahar and the broader southern region but also with the leadership of the Islamic Emirate—specifically Sheikh Hibatullah, his key advisors, and several senior intelligence officials.
Objectives of the Meeting
The primary goal of these meetings is to develop joint strategic roadmaps, reorganize regional hubs, and pave the way for the reactivation of Al Qaeda’s operational presence in Afghanistan.
Key Areas of Focus Identified:
Organized transfer of Al-Qaeda fighters from Syrian fronts to Afghanistan.
Expansion and structuring of training camps for fighters.
Established secure hideouts and residential bases.
Coordinate logistics, equipment, and financial networks.
Structuring a new leadership hierarchy to fill the vacuum the previously eliminated commanders left.
Designing operational scenarios for future attacks and strategies to attract global attention.
The delegation intends to visit other provinces, including Helmand, Farah, Ghazni, Nangarhar, Kunduz, and Badakhshan. The goal is to identify secure and strategic locations for relocating incoming fighters—areas that are both concealed and operationally accessible.
Islamic Emirate-Al Qaeda Relationship
Some Al Qaeda leaders maintain direct connections with Taliban intelligence, religious institutions, and advisory networks.
Individuals linked to Al-Qaeda have reportedly been appointed to key governmental positions under the Islamic Emirate, significantly enhancing the network’s operational leverage. Furthermore, Al-Qaeda’s senior figures are actively attempting to influence additional Taliban officials to sustain and expand their activities under the Islamic Emirate's cover.
Field Assessment
The arrival of Al-Qaeda’s central delegation, their strategic meetings, and local coordination efforts signal the group’s intent to utilize Afghanistan as a key operational hub once again. This development poses serious risks to both regional and international security.
Contact Context: The contact has a history of pro-western sentiment and has been reported reliably in the past. The contact acquired information via multiple unidentified and unverified contacts.
GCV Note: Possible.