MADRID — Former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker warned that terrorism remains a serious threat in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, urging the international community to withhold recognition of the regime.
Speaking at the Herat Security Dialogue on Monday, Feb. 24, Crocker said the Taliban continue to support terrorist groups while imposing severe restrictions on women and girls.
“Terrorism is alive and well in Afghanistan,” he said. “Whether it be the Islamic State or Al Qaeda, the fact that we were able to find and kill Ayman al-Zawahiri in downtown Kabul was not only a tactical success but also graphic proof that the Taliban’s promise not to harbor Al Qaeda was false. There’s no reason to think they are doing anything less now.”
Crocker cautioned against legitimizing the Taliban, arguing that official recognition would only reinforce the group’s oppressive rule.
“The greatest harm the international community could do would be to grant recognition and legitimacy to the Taliban,” he said. “That would validate not only their governance but also their actions—whether it’s support for terrorism, their horrific treatment of Afghan women and girls, or the country’s economic deprivation.”
He also rejected the idea that the Taliban have changed since their first regime in the 1990s, saying they have only become more effective in implementing their extremist ideology.
“The Taliban have not reformed. Taliban Two is worse than Taliban One because they are more experienced,” Crocker said.
He urged international actors to stand with Afghans resisting the Taliban’s rule, emphasizing the need to support those who oppose the group’s extremist ideology.
