KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – About 20 terrorist groups with more than 23,000 active fighters in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan pose a serious threat to regional and global security, Russia’s Security Council secretary has warned.
In an article published in the state-run Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Sergey Shoigu said the biggest concern is the Islamic State’s regional affiliate, ISIS-K. He said the group operates multiple training and operational centers across eastern, northern, and northeastern Afghanistan.
“According to our estimates, there are about 20 international terrorist organizations in Afghanistan, with more than 23,000 militants, which pose a serious threat to the region and the world,” Shoigu wrote.
He claimed the Taliban are fighting terrorism and regularly kill ISIS fighters, but argued that Western sanctions have limited their ability to counter the threat effectively.
The Taliban’s return to power in 2021 has heightened security concerns in neighboring countries and the wider international community. Groups such as Al-Qaeda, ISIS-K, and the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have reportedly regrouped and increased their activity, raising fears of destabilization both within Afghanistan and across Central and South Asia.
At a UN Security Council meeting earlier this month, senior UN officials echoed similar concerns. Vladimir Voronkov, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, warned that ISIS-K remains one of the most serious threats both within Afghanistan and beyond its borders. “The group continues to target civilians and exploit discontent toward Taliban officials,” he said, stressing that its capacity to recruit and launch attacks remains strong.
Neighboring countries, including Pakistan, Iran, and China, have repeatedly voiced concerns, urging the Taliban to respect the Doha Agreement and prevent Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorist organizations.
During a trilateral meeting in Kabul last week, the foreign ministers of China and Pakistan reiterated calls for stronger Taliban action against militant groups. In a separate meeting with Taliban Prime Minister Mullah Hassan Akhund, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that the Taliban should recognize China’s security concerns and address them seriously.
The Taliban have yet to respond to Shoigu’s remarks. The group has previously denied the presence of terrorist organizations in Afghanistan, claiming that ISIS-K moved its operational centers and safe havens to Pakistan after being suppressed in the country.
