Members of the United Nations Security Council on Monday voiced concerns over the activities of terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan, including the Islamic State’s Khorasan branch (ISIS-K), al-Qaeda, and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM).
Vladimir Voronkov, the U.N.’s deputy counterterrorism chief, told the Security Council that ISIS-K continues to pose a significant threat in Afghanistan, the broader region, and beyond.
“There are also reports of a small number of foreign terrorist fighters continuing to travel to Afghanistan,” he said, urging Security Council members to prevent the country from becoming a hub for terrorist activities.
The United States also expressed alarm over ISIS-K’s growing capabilities. Dorothy Camille Shea, the U.S. envoy to the Security Council, said Washington was particularly concerned about the group’s ability to recruit and conduct attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“We remain concerned about ISIS-K’s capabilities to plot and conduct attacks and sustain recruitment campaigns, particularly in Afghanistan and Pakistan,” she said.
China’s representative to the U.N., Fu Cong, called on the Taliban to take decisive action against extremist groups.
“Terrorist organizations such as ISIS, al-Qaeda, and ETIM are currently very active in Afghanistan, and they are colluding with each other,” he said. “They not only undermine Afghanistan’s security but also pose a threat to regional and international peace.”
Russia’s envoy, Vasily Nebenzya, warned that weapons left behind in Afghanistan following the NATO withdrawal had fallen into the hands of ISIS fighters.
Pakistan also raised concerns over ISIS-K’s activities, noting that the country has been on the front lines of counterterrorism efforts.
