Latest news with #Brigade313
Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
What is Brigade 313? Al-Qaeda-linked group in focus after Pakistan senator's Sky News interview
In a now-viral interview, Pakistani senator Sherry Rehman admitted to Pakistan's past with terrorism as she referred to the Brigade 313 group. During an interview with UK-based Sky News, the PPP leader evaded questions regarding the al-Qaeda linked group, referring to it as the "past" of the country. Responding to Sky News journalist Yalda Hakim, the PPP senator evaded questions on Pakistan's record of harbouring extremist entities, especially Brigade 313, and stated that Pakistan as a country has "changed." "You keep on talking about the past because it was. We are fighting terrorism. Pakistan is a changed country now," said Rehman. READ | Pakistan's Sherry Rehman grilled by Sky News anchor over Pahalgam terror attack, Brigade 313 Brigade 313, is often referred to as al-Qaeda in Pakistan by intelligence analysts. The group serves as an umbrella for several other extremist groups operating in Pakistan. As per the Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium, Brigade 313 is a Pakistan-based terror outfit tied to al-Qaeda. TRAC further adds that this group has members from groups such as the Taliban, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami. Some other reports say Brigade 313 is al Qaeda's military organisation in Pakistan. As per reports, Brigade 313 oversees terrorist activities along the Afghan-Pakistan border and along the Indo-Pak border. The '313' in the name serves as a form of Islamic symbolism. It refers to the companions who fought with prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Badr. As per The Long War Journal, US intelligence officials have stated that Brigade 313 is interlinked with Pakistan's faction of the Taliban. The group also often recruits members from the Pakistani military and intelligence services. The al-Qaeda linked group is led by Ilyas Kashmiri, who is the leader of the Shadow Army, al-Qaeda's military organisation. Several scholars and intelligence experts have cited Brigade 313 as al-Qaeda's most "dangerous and effective" formations in South Asia. Following the Pahalgam attack in India's Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistani defence minister Khawaja Asif also acknowledged the country's involvement and support for terror groups in the past. In several interviews, the Pakistani leader was heard stating that Islamabad did "dirty work for the United States, and the West, including Britain," for the past 30 years.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
15 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
'I don't want to do this': Pak politician skips questions on safe haven to terrorists
When asked about terrorism on Pakistani soil, senior Pakistani politician Sherry Rehman first tried to gaslight her interviewer, Yalda Hakim of Sky News, then blamed the analyst who produced evidence of terrorists' presence in Pakistan, and finally just refused to answer questions when Hakim persisted. read more Senior Pakistani politician Sherry Rehman first gaslit journalist Yalda Hakim for asking her about terrorism on her country's soil, then she blamed the analyst whom Hakim cited, and then she just refused to answer when Hakim persisted with her question. In an interview with Sky News' Hakim, Rehman at one point began to ask questions instead of answering them. When Hakim asked her about Brigade 313, a Pakistan-based umbrella organisation of jihadists linked to Al-Qaeda, Rehman instead went on a monologue about insurgencies in India. When Hakim persisted with the question, Rehman blamed the analyst as being supportive of India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Most of the international analysts that you're quoting are strongly aligned with India's narrative. They tell only India's story. We haven't been able to tell this [our side of the story],' said Rehman, a Vice President of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of the Bhutto-Zardari family a former Cabinet minister. Rehman went on to allege that India under Operation Sindoor sought to go on war with Pakistan and impose collective punishment, but Hakim pointed out that Jaish-e-Mohammed itself acknowledged that family members of its chief, Masood Azhar, were killed in an Indian airstrike, confirming that terrorists were indeed present at the site that Pakistan presented as innocuous. And I ask the Senator about Pakistan's long history of terrorism within the country. — Yalda Hakim (@SkyYaldaHakim) June 9, 2025 When Rehman played the victim card and said that Pakistan was the biggest victim of terrorism and was waging the biggest ground war against terrorism in the world, Hakim reminded her that Pakistan had supported the Taliban and the Islamist group would have never taken over Afghanistan without Pakistan's support. When Rehman rejected the fact and Hakim persisted with her questions, Rehman simply said, 'I don't want to do it.' This is at least the third senior Pakistani politician who has appeared for an interview with Hakim and given away the country's links to terrorism. Firstly, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif admitted that Pakistan supported terrorism for decades and then Bilawal Bhutto, a former foreign minister, said that 'it's not a secret' that Pakistan has supported terrorism. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
News18
16 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Explained: What Is Pakistan-Based Al Qaeda's Brigade 313 And Why Is It Back In Focus?
Last Updated: Brigade 313: The group functions not as a single organisation but as a coalition of jihadists, including defectors from the Pakistani military and intelligence services. A recent question posed to former Pakistani envoy Sherry Rehman by a Sky News journalist reignited interest in Brigade 313, a shadowy terror unit operating under the umbrella of Al Qaeda. Sherry Rehman acknowledged the group's violent past as she referred to a 'digital dossier" saying, 'I don't know who told you this, but I can produce any number of pages saying all this." 'Most of the analysts you're quoting are aligned with India's narrative. They only tell India's story," she further said, rejecting claims about Brigade 313's Al Qaeda links. What Is Brigade 313? Brigade 313 is the operational arm of Lashkar al-Zil (Arabic for 'Shadow Army"), Al Qaeda's paramilitary wing. It functions not as a single organisation but as a coalition of jihadists, including defectors from the Pakistani military and intelligence services. While most active along the Afghan-Pakistani border, Brigade 313 has also outsourced attacks to proxy outfits such as The Resistance Front (TRF) and People's Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF). TRF was behind the April 2022 Pahalgam terror attack. Why Is It Called Brigade 313? The group's name refers to the 313 soldiers who, according to Islamic tradition, fought alongside Prophet Muhammad in the Battle of Badr. Brigade 313 draws its cadre from various banned militant outfits, including the Taliban, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HUJI), Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Jundallah. The group was founded by Ilyas Kashmiri, a former Pakistani Special Services Group (SSG) commando turned jihadist. He was also a senior leader of HUJI and a key commander in Al Qaeda's military hierarchy. Ilyas Kashmiri was implicated in multiple terror plots across Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and even the United States, including the 2009 New York subway plot involving Najibullah Zazi and a plan to attack the Danish Jyllands-Posten newspaper. He was designated a global terrorist by the US and the United Nations before being reported killed in a US drone strike in 2011. After his death, leadership reportedly passed to a commander known as Shah Sahib. What Attacks Has Brigade 313 Been Linked To? Brigade 313 has executed or supported numerous high-profile attacks including: 2003: Attempted assassination of Pakistan's then-president Pervez Musharraf. 2008: Killing of Maj Gen Faisal Alvi, an SSG officer who threatened to expose links between the Taliban and Pakistan's military elite. 2009: Attack on Army General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, killing 17. 2009: Suicide bombing in Afghanistan's Khost province targeting US assets. 2011: Attack on Pakistani Naval Base in Karachi, killing 14 in retaliation for the death of Osama bin Laden. Is Brigade 313 Linked To Pakistan's Military And Intelligence Services? While Pakistan has officially distanced itself from the group, analysts say Brigade 313 continues to function discreetly while maintaining ideological loyalty to Al Qaeda. Location : Pakistan First Published:
India Today
16 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Pak senator defends nation's terror ‘past', says it is a changed country
In a fiery interview with Sky News, Pakistan Senator and senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Sherry Rehman, staunchly defended her country's record on terrorism, asserting that "Pakistan is a changed country" and is actively "fighting terrorism," while accusing international narratives of being skewed by Indian heated exchange comes as Islamabad launches a global diplomatic offensive, sending high-level delegations to counter India's narrative following a recent military conflict. In the copycat move that came after India dispatched its own envoys to brief the world on Operation Sindoor against terrorism, Pakistan has now sent its own delegation, which includes Sherry Rehman, to the US, UK, and Brussels to present its side of the the tense exchange with anchor Yalda Hakim, Rehman was confronted with allegations regarding Pakistan's role in sheltering terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammad, the Haqqani Network, and the al-Qaeda-linked Brigade 313. When pressed on why groups like Brigade 313, a coalition of terror groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad for operational purposes, continue to operate from Pakistani soil, Rehman said, 'Am I going to war every time there is an attack in India?' She deflected blame, adding, 'There are 100 insurgencies running in India. Are we responsible for what goes on there? That's what it amounts to.'Hakim raised the issue of Brigade 313 acting as a unifying front for various terror factions in Pakistan, a premise Rehman flatly rejected. 'I don't know who told you this... I can produce any number of pages saying all this. Perhaps we should also produce a digital dossier,' she retorted, in a veiled reference to dossiers previously released by India on cross-border consistently challenged the basis of the questions, suggesting a coordinated information campaign against Pakistan. 'International analysts are aligned with India's narrative. They only tell India's story. And this is our deficit that we haven't been able to tell the story right,' she interview also touched upon Pakistan's recent removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list. When Hakim pointed out Pakistan was on the list until 2022 for terror financing and money laundering concerns, Rehman defended her country's progress. "We were taken off the grey list because we provided forensic evidence. Pakistan is a changed country. We are fighting terrorism but you keep on talking about the past,' she back her argument, she presented "facts," stating, "Pakistan has filed 2,645 terrorism financing cases. This is why we are in the white list and not the grey of FATF." She claimed that organisations like those in Muridke and Bahawalpur "are proscribed now, these are all banned now and atleast 2000 of their members have been arrested."When asked why India isn't on the grey list, Rehman described it as "our failing that we haven't bothered," before bringing up the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was captured by Pakistan alleging that he was an Indian conversation heated up when Hakim pointed to Pakistan's alleged role in providing sanctuary to terrorists, a charge Rehman vehemently denied with an "absolutely not." Hakim also questioned the presence of the then-ISI chief in Kabul on the day of the Taliban takeover, to which Rehman reiterated, "Pakistan is a changing place and we are trying very hard. We have a revolving door with Afghanistan."Regarding a statement from Jaish-e-Mohammad about the death of its leader Masood Azhar's family members in Indian airstrikes, Rehman was dismissive. 'Children are not leaders,' she stated, denying the presence of militant infrastructure in the area and offering to take Hakim to the location. 'There are hospitals, mosques, and rubble. I'm happy to take you there.'
NDTV
17 hours ago
- Politics
- NDTV
"What Is Brigade 313?" Pakistan Senator Sherry Rehman Admits Islamabad's Terror Past On Live TV
Islamabad: Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Vice President Sherry Rehman acknowledged that Islamabad's past is linked to terrorism while she dodged questions on al-Qaeda-linked Brigade 313. "You keep on talking about the past because it was," she told Sky News journalist Yalda Hakim in response to questions on Pakistan's record on harbouring extremist elements. "We are fighting terrorism. Pakistan is a changed country now." Ms Hakim, citing inputs from the Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium (TRAC), said Brigade 313 was a Pakistan-based terror outfit tied to al-Qaeda with members from groups such as the Taliban, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami. "Brigade 313 is al-Qaeda in Pakistan," she said, referencing TRAC. "They are the leaders of a massive terrorist organisation that focuses on attacks in Kashmir," Ms Hakim said, adding the group was known to be a "hub for terrorism." She confronted Ms Hakim about the group, questioning her whether Pakistan should be held responsible for repeated attacks in India, particularly those linked to groups like Brigade 313. "Am I going to war every time there is an attack in India?" Ms Rehman visibly deflected. She added, "There are a hundred insurgencies running in India. Are we responsible for what goes on there?" The conversation also touched on Pakistan's inclusion on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list until 2022. Ms Hakim questioned whether individuals like Sajid Mir, one of the key plotters of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, played a role in delaying Pakistan's exit. Ms Rehman responded, "You're citing a long history of engaging with terrorism one way or the other, either fighting it or otherwise." 'Pakistan is fighting very hard to clean its terrorist record' Vice President of the Pakistan People's Party Senator Sherry Rehman tells @SkyYaldaHakim 'Pakistan is a changed country', even though they were taken off the grey list in 2022 — Sky News (@SkyNews) June 9, 2025 What Is Brigade 313? Formed in the early 2000s, Brigade 313 reportedly took its name from the 313 companions who fought alongside Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Badr. It was led by Ilyas Kashmiri, a former Pakistani army-trained fighter who became one of al-Qaeda's most prominent commanders before his death in a 2011 US drone strike. The brigade is a hybrid coalition, drawing terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI), Jaish-e-Mohammed, and others. It operated under al-Qaeda's umbrella and frequently collaborated with Pakistan's Taliban factions. Authors describe it as one of al-Qaeda's most "dangerous and effective" formations in South Asia, staging high-profile actions such as assassinations of senior Pakistani officials, bombings across Pakistan, and plots connected to the Kashmir insurgency. Brigade 313 is often described as part of al-Qaeda's Lashkar al-Zil (the "Shadow Army"), and has been accused of carrying out high-profile terror attacks, including bombings, assassinations, and plots aimed at Kashmir. Earlier, Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, admitted to the country's complicity in supporting terror groups in the past. He said, "We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about three decades, and the West, including Britain."
