ISLAMABAD: A United Nations Security Council report released this month has dismissed the Afghan Taliban’s claim that militant groups are not using Afghan territory for cross-border violence, calling the assertion “not credible” and warning that neighboring countries increasingly see Afghanistan as a source of regional insecurity due to ongoing operations by several armed groups based there.
The findings are included in the 16th report of the United Nations Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, submitted to the United Nations Security Council under resolution 2763.
The report stated that the Afghan Taliban, who are the de facto rulers in Afghanistan, “continue to maintain that no terrorist groups operate in, or from, its territory,” but added that such claims “are not credible.”
The Taliban promised under the 2020 Doha Agreement to prevent Afghan soil from being used to threaten other countries. While the report noted ongoing Taliban action against Islamic State Khorasan, it said their attitude toward other militant groups has been significantly different.
According to the monitoring team, “a wide range of Member States consistently report that ISIL-K, Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Al-Qaida (QDe.004), the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (QDe.088), also known as the Turkistan Islamic Party (ETIM/TIP), Jamaat Ansarullah (not listed), Ittihad-ul Mujahideen Pakistan (not listed), and others are present in Afghanistan. Some groups have used or are continuing to use Afghanistan to plan and execute external attacks. Regional Member States generally see Afghanistan as a source of insecurity.”
The monitoring team stated that TTP had conducted “numerous high-profile attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil,” leading to cross-border tensions, casualties, and disruptions in bilateral trade.
“These attacks have led to cross-border military confrontations, causing casualties as well as disruptions to bilateral trade,” the report stated.
“Taliban authorities continue to deny and deflect responsibility for failing to restrain TTP,” the report said, noting that opinions within the Taliban range from viewing the group as a liability to maintaining sympathy and historical loyalty.
The Monitoring Team reported that attacks by TTP increased throughout 2025, noting that while Pakistani security forces thwarted many, estimates indicate there have already been more than 600 attacks in Pakistan this year. Many incidents were described as “complex in nature, involving multiple, coordinated attackers using methods such as vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices.”
The report estimated that “TTP maintained a strength of around 6,000 fighters, with locations in the provinces of Khost, Kunar, Nangarhar, Paktika, and Paktiya.” It also included “more than a dozen subgroups or factions,” with the group’s leadership maintaining a presence in Kabul.
These attacks, the report said, have led to cross-border military clashes and disruptions to bilateral trade, increasing tensions between Kabul and Islamabad.
Despite the broader militant presence in the region, the report acknowledged counterterrorism progress by Pakistan, including several high-profile arrests linked to Islamic State Khorasan, which it said has helped weaken the group’s operational ability.
