Russia has cautioned that the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) is expanding its operational footprint inside Afghanistan, consolidating influence, and posing an increasingly severe threat to regional stability. The warning, issued at the United Nations, reflects mounting international concern over the deteriorating security landscape under Taliban rule.
Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Anna Evstigneeva, told a UN Security Council committee that IS-K’s presence in Afghanistan is growing in both capacity and ambition, with the group seeking to destabilise Afghanistan and neighbouring states. She noted that despite some acknowledged efforts, measures taken by the Taliban authorities to counter extremist organisations remain inadequate.
Evstigneeva stated that militants in Afghanistan benefit from foreign funding and include fighters originating from outside the country, among them individuals with combat experience in Iraq and Syria. She further warned that large quantities of weapons abandoned by Western forces continue to pose a serious risk, as these arms may fall into the hands of terrorist groups and be used to conduct cross-border attacks.
Highlighting the broader implications for regional security, Evstigneeva said signs of militant activity spilling into Central Asia and other neighbouring regions are already emerging. She emphasised the need for a comprehensive international strategy aimed at dismantling terrorist networks, cutting off external support, and ensuring that Afghan territory is not used as a safe haven.
Russian security officials, including Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, have previously estimated that more than 23,000 fighters affiliated with international extremist networks are currently present in Afghanistan, describing the situation as a significant threat to both regional and global stability.
UN experts have also reported earlier this year that Afghanistan under Taliban rule continues to provide an enabling environment for foreign terrorist organisations, with multiple training sites linked to al Qaeda and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operating across the country.
The evolving security situation underscores the urgency of coordinated international action to disrupt terrorist movements, secure abandoned weapon stockpiles, and prevent further deterioration of regional stability.
