Kabul – The Taliban’s claims about national security have been called into question by a significant new United Nations Security Council report (S/2025/796).
Although the ruling authorities state that no extremist organizations are functioning in the country, the evaluation conducted by the UN proves that the arguments are not valid.
The report concludes that over 20 organizations are still operating on Afghan Soil, and this has resulted in a topography of profound structural instability despite apparent stability.
The UN Monitoring Team was able to distinguish a few significant groups that are resettled in the area at present. Some of them include ISIL-K, Al-Qaida, and the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), among others, such as ETIM/TIP and Jamaat Ansarullah.
The report portrays the prevailing situation as an oasis where such groups may restructure and develop their influence.
Also See: Afghanistan’s Stability Is Manufactured, Not Earned
The Rise of ISIL-K and TTP
The report mentions that ISIL-K has expanded to about 2,000 followers and has embraced new technology, such as AI and cryptocurrencies, to finance its activities. Worst still, the group has started enrolling kids as young as 14 years of age in local madrasas.
These fighters still exist on Afghan Soil and have the capacity to make external attacks, as seen recently with Russia and Iran.
Likewise, the TTP is estimated to have approximately 6,000 fighters that are based in provinces like Khost and Nangarhar.
The UN reports indicate that the TTP is being logistically and financially sponsored by the incumbent regime, including regular payments every month to the families of its leaders.
This group had made more than 600 cross-border attacks in 2025 alone, causing a lot of tension in the region and economic damage.
Al-Qaida’s Persistent Presence
The position of Al-Qaida has not changed much, as the report claimed the group was embedded and safeguarded.
Top commanders are said to be living in Kabul, and the organization formally claimed the nation to be a safe haven in 2024. This cover enables them to concentrate their forces on regional targets and be protected on Afghan Soil.
The UN finds that the existence of these groups in conjunction with exclusionary government and a crumbling economy is a dire danger to the local citizens as well as international peace.
Unless the policy is changed, the report warns that the humanitarian and security crisis will only continue to compound on the people living in the region.
Also See: US Intelligence Chief Warns: Afghanistan is a Terror Hub Threatening the World
