Yes they were arrested: Afghanistan’s first confirmation on arresting Chinese nationals for espionage

New Delhi, Jan 08: Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security which had busted a Chinese spy ring last month has for the first time confirmed that the security agency detained a Chinese national for espionage.

Wolesi Jirga, the Afghan House of Representatives demanded answers from Ahmad Zia Saraj, the chief of the national Directorate of Security. Saraj confirmed that a group of Chinese nationals had been arrested on charges of espionage in Kabul. The NDS chief according to private news channel Ariana News said that a group of Chinese nationals had been arrested, but as it was a sensitive issue, he could not share more details.

Afghanistan had let go of the 10 spies who were arrested. They were allowed to return to China on a chartered flight.

It may be recalled that in December, the agencies in Afghanistan busted a major Chinese spying racket and have arrested 10 spies. While the details of the terms of release is not known, Amrullah Saleh, the first vide president had said that no foreign national citizen has been arrested in an effort operation in the Khairkhaneh area. The arrested are palmadis that under the scope. A number of them have been arrested on the suspicion of being involved in assassination and kidnapping, he said.

During the meeting of Saleh and Chinese envoy Wang Yu, the former had offered to release the 10 spies after Beijing submits a formal apology for betraying Kabul's trust. However Yu had insisted that the detentions are not declared by Kabul said a report in the Hindustan Times.

It had been found that both China and Pakistan had been working closely to undertake espionage activities in Kabul.

The Afghan National Directorate of Security recently discovered a dense network of Chinese spies, who were trying to influence the geopolitical dynamics in the region. The NDS had on December 10 cracked down on the network and arrested a Chinese intelligence operative Li Yangyang. He had been operating in the country since July. He was arrested from his Kabul residence and the NDS recovered arms, ammunition and explosives including Ketamine powder.

On the same day, the NDS arrested another Chinese spy Sha Hung from her Shirpur residence in Kabul. The NDS recovered explosives and highly objectionable material from here residence.

Both were kingpins of the espionage network and they were meeting with members of the Haqqani Network that is backed by the ISI. Officials tell OneIndia that both China and Pakistan are working to disrupt the Afghan peace talks. Both are trying to establish themselves as dominant forces in the region and influence the Taliban and Al-Qaeda once the US security forces withdraw.

The two arrested spies were also in touch with some Taliban leaders and were also tracking the moment of the Uighur activists who had fled to Afghanistan. They were focusing on the patches of Badakhshan and Kumar provinces. It was also found that they were in touch with the Haqqani Network.