Haqqani Network

From Citizendium, the Citizens' Compendium

The Haqqani Network is a Pashtun group in Afghanistan and Pakistan, conducting an insurgency with respect to both governments. It is treated as an enemy group by Afghanistan, Pakistan, and NATO, but as somewhat autonomous of the purely Islamic groups.

It is now in its second generation of leadership; it was formed by Jalaluddin Haqqani, but operational control is under his son, Sirajuddin Haqqani. While it has been allied with the Taliban under Mullah Omar and the Quetta shura, it is not considered part of either the Afghan or Pakistani Taliban; it is more based on Pashtun tribal than on religious loyalties.

While confidence in doing so has been dropping, it is still considered a group that might be approached in coalition governments, as opposed to more extreme Salafist religious groups.