The international community sharply criticised the Afghan Taliban at a United Nations Security Council meeting for failing to fulfil counterterrorism commitments, issuing a clear warning over the continued use of Afghan soil by extremist groups threatening regional peace.
Several UN member states described Afghanistan as a growing hub for terrorism, noting that militant violence originating from Afghan territory has engulfed Pakistan and the wider region. Delegates expressed rare convergence in their assessments, citing persistent activity by transnational militant networks under Taliban rule.
China’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Fu Cong, cautioned that groups including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan remain active inside Afghanistan and are involved in attacks against neighbouring countries. Denmark’s UN representative, Christina Markus Lassen, said the Taliban must take concrete action against Al Qaeda, TTP and other extremist organisations operating from Afghan territory.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar, linked the sharp rise in terrorist attacks against Pakistan to the Taliban’s ineffective and selective counterterrorism measures. He told the Council that attacks on Pakistan are monitored, planned and financially supported from Afghan soil.
The United States called for the Security Council to formally caution the Taliban over the lack of progress on counterterrorism assurances. Panama’s representative, Eloy Alfaro de Alba, voiced concern over armed incidents involving TTP, Daesh and other militant groups in Afghanistan.
Iran’s UN envoy Saeid Iravani also warned the Taliban, stressing that Afghan territory must not be used for terrorism or violence against neighbouring states. He said Afghanistan’s interim authorities bear full responsibility for halting all forms of support to militant groups.
Pakistan has already presented what it describes as irrefutable evidence to the international community showing the sustained use of Afghan soil for attacks against Pakistan. Regional peace, delegates emphasised, remains unattainable without dismantling terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan.
The Taliban regime’s security failures and alleged patronage of extremist groups continue to pose serious risks to stability across the region.
