PANAJI, GOA: The foundation of this alliance was laid in 2021 when JAFHS and the KNF signed a written agreement. The details of this agreement reveal a carefully calculated partnership.
The alliance between the Kuki National Front (KNF) and the Islamist militant group Jamaat Ul Ansar Fil Hind Al Sharqiya (JAFHS) has raised alarms in counterterrorism circles. This unlikely partnership is seen as a strategic manoeuvre aimed at destabilizing the region, using a combination of religious militancy and political subterfuge to further both groups’ agendas.
The emergence of Jamaatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya, a militant organization with ties to pro-Al-Qaeda extremist groups, sparked concern following the circulation of a video some years back showing its members receiving training from the Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
The foundation of this alliance was laid in 2021 when JAFHS and the KNF signed a written agreement. The details of this agreement reveal a carefully calculated partnership, where Jamaatul Ansar sought not only to secure a safe haven but also to gain the military expertise and local knowledge of the KNF.
The KNF, traditionally a Christian insurgent group operating in Northeast India, has long sought to establish an independent Christian state in the region. However, their alliance with JAFHS, an Islamist militant group with a history of religious extremism, signalled a shift in their strategy. From a counterterrorism perspective, the KNF’s collaboration with JAFHS is less about religious ideology and more about leveraging militancy as a tool to achieve their political objectives.
By aligning with JAFHS, the KNF aimed to amplify its operational capabilities, using JAFHS’s established networks and resources to spread terror across Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar. This partnership allows the KNF to target a broader range of adversaries and destabilize key areas in these countries, thereby weakening state control and creating a power vacuum that could eventually support their goal of an independent Christian state.
JAFHS, known for its Islamist militant activities, brings a different but complementary set of skills to the alliance. Their expertise in guerrilla warfare, bomb-making, and radicalization is invaluable to the KNF’s objectives. While JAFHS’s primary agenda is to spread Islamist ideology, their collaboration with KNF allows them to extend their influence into new territories, furthering their own goals under the guise of supporting KNF’s insurgency.
This symbiotic relationship benefits both groups: the KNF gains the militant expertise and operational reach needed to challenge state forces, while JAFHS finds new opportunities to spread its ideology and establish footholds in regions where Islamist influence has traditionally been weak.
The success of this alliance could have far-reaching consequences beyond the immediate region. A destabilized Northeast India, coupled with unrest in neighbouring Bangladesh and Myanmar, could create a volatile environment ripe for external intervention. Western nations, particularly the United States, have a history of strategic interest in the region, often under the pretext of promoting democracy or protecting human rights.
Should the KNF-JAFHS alliance achieve its goals, it could pave the way for these Western powers to establish a more pronounced presence in the region, under the guise of countering terrorism or supporting humanitarian efforts. This would give them a strategic foothold in South Asia, allowing them to influence regional politics and counterbalance the growing influence of China.
From a counterterrorism perspective, the KNF-JAFHS alliance represents a significant threat. The fusion of Christian and Islamist militant ideologies is a new challenge for security forces in the region, complicating efforts to combat insurgency. Traditional counterinsurgency tactics may prove ineffective against this hybrid threat, necessitating a more nuanced and coordinated response from regional governments.
Moreover, the potential for external involvement by Western nations adds another layer of complexity. Any missteps in handling this alliance could be exploited by these powers to justify their intervention, further destabilizing the region and undermining local sovereignty.
The alliance between the KNF and JAFHS is a dangerous development in the already volatile region of Northeast India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. While the partnership may seem ideologically contradictory on the surface, it is, in reality, a calculated move by both groups to further their own agendas. The implications of this alliance are far-reaching, with the potential to destabilize the region and invite external intervention under the guise of counterterrorism or humanitarian assistance.
Author and journalist Savio Rodrigues is Founder and Editor in Chief of Goa Chronicle.