Mumtaz Hussain
NEW YORK: The 37th report of the UN Monitoring Team has outlined significant concerns regarding the security situation in Afghanistan and its regional implications.
According to the report, the de facto authorities in Afghanistan continued to provide a permissive environment for a range of terrorist groups, notably Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP, QDe.132). While the authorities claimed that no terrorist groups were operating within Afghanistan’s borders, no Member State supported this position.
Regional countries expressed growing concern over the number of terrorist groups present in Afghanistan and the potential spillover effects, including cross-border attacks and the radicalization of vulnerable domestic communities. Concerns were also raised about terrorist groups exploiting commercial satellite communications and increasingly using artificial intelligence.
The de facto authorities continued to take action against ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K) and to control the external activities of some other groups. However, TTP was reportedly accorded greater liberty and support, resulting in increased TTP attacks against Pakistan and heightened regional tensions.
Al-Qaida
The report stated that Al-Qaida’s status and strength remained unchanged from the previous Monitoring Team report, and its appetite for external operations remained undiminished. The group focused on “spectacular” attacks aimed at attracting global media attention rather than the lower-sophistication attacks favored by ISIL (Da’esh).
Al-Qaida continued to enjoy the patronage of the de facto authorities and acted as a service provider and multiplier for other terrorist groups in Afghanistan, particularly by offering training and advice to TTP.
AQIS
Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) remained active in south-eastern Afghanistan, particularly in areas influenced by the Haqqani Network. Osama Mahmoud, identified as AQIS “emir,” and his deputy Yahya Ghauri were reported to be in Kabul, while the group’s media cell was based in Herat.
Member States expressed concern that AQIS was increasingly focused on external operations. Such operations were likely to be unclaimed or deniable, potentially conducted under the umbrella group Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, which declared itself in April, in order to avoid creating difficulties for the Taliban as hosts of AQIS.
TTP
The report described TTP as one of the largest terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan. Its attacks on Pakistani security forces and state structures led to military confrontation, with attacks becoming increasingly complex and at times involving large numbers of fighters.
On 11 November, an attack on an Islamabad courthouse resulted in 12 deaths and was claimed by a TTP splinter group. The incident marked the first attack in the capital in several years and a departure from previous TTP targeting patterns.
Some Member States expressed concern that TTP could deepen cooperation with Al-Qaida-aligned groups to expand its range of targets, potentially posing an extraregional threat. However, TTP faced operational setbacks, including the death of its deputy emir, Mufti Muzahim, in a Pakistani operation in October.
ISIL-K
ISIL-K was reported to be under significant pressure from regional security operations and military actions by the Taliban. Although the number of attacks decreased, the group retained substantial operational and combat capabilities and could rapidly replace fighters, including through online recruitment.
The pressure campaign prompted ISIL-K to seek alliances with other armed factions across Afghanistan. The group was primarily active in northern Afghanistan, especially Badakhshan, and in areas near the Pakistani border. It continued to develop cell networks to project threats regionally and beyond.
ETIM/TIP
The report stated that under the patronage of the de facto authorities, members of ETIM/TIP were able to move freely within Afghanistan and had gradually concentrated in Badakhshan. They were reportedly issued identity documents, and one Member State indicated that they raised funds through poppy cultivation and mining.
Approximately 250 members were reported to have joined Taliban police forces in 2025. One Member State also noted that ETIM/TIP called on its members in the Syrian Arab Republic and neighboring countries to relocate to Afghanistan in preparation for “returning to Xinjiang for jihad.”
BLA
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) conducted multiple attacks against Pakistani security forces and projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). On 16 September, the group ambushed a Pakistani military convoy patrolling the Corridor, killing 32 troops.
While Pakistan’s counter-terrorism operations limited the BLA’s operational space, the group remained active. Some Member States reported that the BLA collaborated with TTP and ISIL-K through shared training camps and resources, coordinating attacks and meetings between commanders.
