According to a recently launched United Nations report, transnational terrorist groups Al Qaeda and IS-K are growing in strength in Afghanistan and could potentially pose a threat to other countries. The assessment of the report is that while the threat is more pronounced in conflict-hit regions and the neighbouring countries, the two groups could attempt to strike in non-conflict areas.
The picture painted in this report makes Afghanistan sound like a safe haven for these groups, which is exactly what the international community feared following the Taliban takeover. The situation is a complex one as the report points out that these terror groups view the Taliban’s military success as a motivating factor for pushing propaganda in neighbouring countries and other parts of the world. As far as the Taliban government is concerned, it has been struggling immensely with governance challenges and that is part of the reason why it has avoided clamping down on these groups.
In the more immediate term, IS-K poses a much more significant threat as it has already conducted multiple attacks in neighbouring countries, and it views Afghanistan as a base for expansion in the wider region to realise its dream of a caliphate. The group has been actively luring disaffected fighters from multiple terror groups including the Taliban. Meanwhile, the report claims that Al Qaeda has been enjoying a comfortable stay in Afghanistan and that some of its senior members are also providing advisory services to the Afghan government. This, if true, is extremely concerning and will not help the current government in terms of improving its relations with the international community. In addition to this, Al Qaeda chief Aiman al-Zawahiri is also apparently based in the country.
Add to this mix the TTP, which is said to be the largest grouping of foreign terrorists in Afghanistan, boasting a strength of 3,000 to 4,000 fighters. This developing situation is extremely alarming, especially for neighbouring countries like Pakistan as the threat of a spillover is very real. The more Afghanistan is neglected, the easier it will be for such groups to operate. While Islamabad continues to work with the Afghan administration to address this issue, other countries in the region and beyond must also follow suit before it’s too late.
The picture painted in this report makes Afghanistan sound like a safe haven for these groups, which is exactly what the international community feared following the Taliban takeover. The situation is a complex one as the report points out that these terror groups view the Taliban’s military success as a motivating factor for pushing propaganda in neighbouring countries and other parts of the world. As far as the Taliban government is concerned, it has been struggling immensely with governance challenges and that is part of the reason why it has avoided clamping down on these groups.
In the more immediate term, IS-K poses a much more significant threat as it has already conducted multiple attacks in neighbouring countries, and it views Afghanistan as a base for expansion in the wider region to realise its dream of a caliphate. The group has been actively luring disaffected fighters from multiple terror groups including the Taliban. Meanwhile, the report claims that Al Qaeda has been enjoying a comfortable stay in Afghanistan and that some of its senior members are also providing advisory services to the Afghan government. This, if true, is extremely concerning and will not help the current government in terms of improving its relations with the international community. In addition to this, Al Qaeda chief Aiman al-Zawahiri is also apparently based in the country.
Add to this mix the TTP, which is said to be the largest grouping of foreign terrorists in Afghanistan, boasting a strength of 3,000 to 4,000 fighters. This developing situation is extremely alarming, especially for neighbouring countries like Pakistan as the threat of a spillover is very real. The more Afghanistan is neglected, the easier it will be for such groups to operate. While Islamabad continues to work with the Afghan administration to address this issue, other countries in the region and beyond must also follow suit before it’s too late.