New Delhi: Like Pakistan, its evergreen friend China is seeking to spread terror around the world, which has been confirmed by the country’s spies arrested in Afghanistan. A network of Chinese spies has been busted in Afghanistan, shaming the dragon all over the world. Afghanistan has busted a 10-member Chinese module in the capital Kabul, which was operating a terrorist cell. This information has been given by diplomats and security officials.
People familiar with the matter in Kabul and New Delhi said that the crackdown came as a major embarrassment for Beijing, who is now trying to convince the Ashraf Ghani government to hide the case.
Afghanistan has caught ten Chinese citizens, who were running a terrorist cell and spying in Kabul. The 10 Chinese nationals recently detained by Afghanistan’s National Security Directorate (NDS) on charges of espionage and running a terrorist cell are believed to be linked to China’s spy agency, Ministry of State Security. The crackdown by the NDS started on 10 December.
This is the first time in years that Chinese nationals have been caught spying in Afghanistan. Ever since the US has withdrawn its troops, the dragon has been eyeing a rapid expansion of its influence. A senior Kabul diplomat said that at least two out of 10 Chinese nationals were in contact with the Haqqani network, which is a Taliban militant group.
President Ashraf Ghani has been informed about the arrest of Chinese spies. Asraf Ghani has given the responsibility of monitoring the investigation of the case to Amarullah Saleh, the former head of the Afghan intelligence agency and the first Vice President, in view of the sensitivity of the case.
Amarullah Saleh has met with Chinese Ambassador Wang Yu in Kabul and reported the detention of Chinese spies. It is believed that Saleh indicated that the Afghan government may consider pardoning Chinese spies if Beijing formally apologizes. Afghanistan has stated that the Chinese apology should clearly mention the violation of international norms and betrayal of Kabul’s trust.
If the Chinese government refuses to do so, it is expected that the Afghan government will proceed with criminal proceedings in this case. Amarullah Saleh has conveyed this intention of the Afghan government to the Chinese Ambassador. According to a counter-terror officer in Kabul, one of those detained, Li Yangyang has been working for Chinese intelligence since July-August. He was arrested by the Afghan NDS on December 10 from his house in western Kabul, Kart-e-Char.
The NDS team seized arms, ammunition and Ketamine powder, a recreational drug, from his residence when the first round of raids were carried out on 10 December. NDS officials who have interrogated Li have reported that he had been gathering information about al Qaeda, Taliban and Uyghurs in Kunar and Badakhshan provinces, according to this counter-terror official. A Chinese woman was the second person to be arrested. She runs a restaurant in Kabul’s Shirpur and was also arrested the same day.
The counter-terrorism official said the NDS also recovered explosive material from the home of the Chinese woman. He added that Li and Sha have been in contact with the Haqqani Network. Eight more Chinese nationals were subsequently arrested.