Spatial analysis of formation and activity of terrorist groups In Afghanistan's border with Pakistan

In the last few decades some of geographical areas and countries became a geographical center and fertile ground for formation and activity of terrorist groups. The most famous and important of such these areas are common boundaries between Pakistan and Afghanistan that placed different armed and terrorist groups inside themselves such as Taliban and Haqqani Network and other terrorist groups. at this research, which performs with analytical-descriptive, meanwhile evaluation of spatial pattern of attacking terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan have been discussed The main reasons for the formation and activity of these groups in the border areas These two countries. attained results from this research show that weaknesses in the actions of authority and sovereignty in the border areas that have created ungoverned spaces and also the weakness of the legitimacy and social influence of the state in contrast to unregulated sovereignty and social legitimacy of other non-state groups and institutions in this area are the most important reasons for the formation and activity of terrorist groups.
One of the challenges that many governments face with it, is the formation of terrorist groups and their attacks against citizens and state forces. Meanwhile some of countries in the world and some regions become the main centers of formation and activity for terrorist groups. Afghanistan and Pakistan, specially their border areas are the most important spaces and locations that a lot of terrorist groups such as Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Haqani Network and other extremist groups are active there. There are different theories and approaches about the causes and reasons of formation and activity of terrorist groups in this geographical region. However it seems that " space without sovereignty " theory because of emphasizing on unauthority of central government and " social influence of government " theory because of paying attention to soft power of government, are more complete theoretical frameworks for explaining  and describing terrorism phenomenon in this area. So this research using these two theories wants to analyze the formation and activity of terrorist groups in border areas between Afghanistan and Pakistan.


Generally the research method of this article is descriptive- analytical. For gathering data we used from library and documentary methods.


Afghanistan is one of the countries that always attacked by terrorist groups in three last decades. Nevertheless stronger attacks occur in border areas of this country with Pakistan that have 100 miles in length. South and east of Afghanistan with Helmand province are main centers of attacks by terrorist groups. Helmand and Nangarar cities have been experienced 10 percent and 8 percent of terrorist attacks respectively and two big cities of Afghanistan, Kabol and Kandahar have been experienced 7 percent of these attacks. Pakistan is amongst countries that strongly affected by terrorist attacks too. Terrorist groups in Pakistan have strong effects on neighbor country, Afghanistan, and most attacks occur in border areas near Afghanistan. Khyber Pakhtunkhaw state in this country is experienced most attacks spatially. “ Parachynar “ city in ethnic federal areas of Pakistan that is the nearest place to Kabol in Afghanistan, has the highest mortality rate with 12 dead in every terrorist attacks. In recent years, ethnic federal areas experienced the most violence. Between 2002 and 2011, over 19 percent of whole attacks of Pakistan occurred in this area.
Afghanistan and Pakistan are considered bankrupt countries that lacking ability to exercise authority across their terrestrial territory. In some areas, the authority and sovereignty of Afghanistan and Pakistan countries has tough rivals such as extremist groups and religious political elites that supporting these groups and also in some areas, government authority applied incompletely and in some spaces, government completely has abandoned the sovereignty of the land and extremist groups including Taliban taking the control of land and authority. Afghanistan and Pakistan governments don't have necessary sufficiency and authority for executing law and sovereignty over their territories, so security costs for terrorist activities are very little in these two countries specially border areas. So terrorist groups can develop their authority with the minimum involvement and supervision from  government.  Furthermore, they use of these non-government spaces and not restrained areas for establishing social, political or economical independent institutions. On the other hand, such spaces are considered great human resources for terrorist groups. Because of poverty, dissatisfaction, insecurity, discrimination and ethnic-religious intolerance, people of these countries become members of these groups easily.
One of the important factors for any government for being success in governing and controlling the security is the rate of social influence and legitimacy of that government among various religious, ethnic and social groups. The government influence in common border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan is less in comparison with non governmental institutions, specially schools and religious figures (Mullahs). Developing religious schools specially schools of Deobandi cult, resulted in expansion of radical and fundamentalist perceptions about religion and increased political role of Mullahs in tribal community. On the other hand, Afghanistan and Pakistan governments lack of pervasive political thought that can encompass all social classes and ethnic religious groups in their countries. In this situation, local religious figures were raised as main political mediator and in most of the time were raised as pugnacity propagandist. Developing non official and ideological education system causes that official education system is ignored by residents of these areas. So in these areas,   governmental institutions have the least attendance.


In last decades, Afghanistan and Pakistan were amongst countries face with the most activities of terrorist and extremist groups. From spatial and geographical perspective, common border areas between these two countries strongly experienced the presence of non- governmental groups and mostly violent groups so that consider these areas as terrorism geographical centers on a global scale. Inability of government in exercising authority in border provinces and areas besides the low social legitimacy influence of government among some ethnic religious groups, focused in border areas, has been provided the raise of extremist groups and religious-political elites. In fact, absence of governmental institutions and organizations in these areas caused the formation of a space without authority and government. This factor besides the social legitimacy of some extremist groups caused that government faces with rival authority of these groups so the opportunity of formation and activity of terrorist groups has been provided.