KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban on Friday dismissed concerns raised at the UN Security Council (UNSC) about the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, calling them “baseless.”
In a post on X, the group’s spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid urged member states not to “portray Afghanistan as unstable without evidence.” He added: “There is absolutely no proof to substantiate such allegations.”
His remarks came after a Security Council session this week, where UN officials and member states warned that terrorist groups, particularly ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), continue to pose a serious threat.
Vladimir Voronkov, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, said ISIS-K remains one of the most significant challenges to security in Central Asia and beyond. “The group continues to target civilians and exploit discontent toward Taliban officials,” he said.
A recent UN report estimated that ISIS-K has about 2,000 fighters in Afghanistan. It said the group is recruiting locally, as well as from Central Asia, Russia’s North Caucasus, and among fighters from other militant groups.
According to the report, Taliban operations have weakened parts of ISIS-K’s capability, but the group continues to operate with “relative impunity.” It also expressed concern about the movement of foreign fighters from Syria to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Pakistan and Iran also raised concerns during the council meeting.
Pakistan’s UN envoy, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said terrorism from Afghanistan poses a “grave and immediate” threat. He pointed to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which he said has nearly 6,000 fighters operating from Afghan soil.
“With safe havens close to our borders, it directly threatens our national security,” Ahmad told the council.
Iran’s representative, Amir Saeid Iravani, said there were “credible” reports of foreign fighters being moved from Syria to Afghanistan. He warned that such movements pose a direct threat to regional stability.
“We are seriously and deeply alarmed,” Iravani said, urging UN member states to step up efforts against terrorism “in all its forms and manifestations.”
The Taliban has repeatedly denied the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan. But attacks by ISIS-K have continued in recent years, often targeting civilians, Shia Hazara communities, and Taliban officials themselves.
