Nearly 25,000 security incidents have been recorded in Afghanistan during the four years since the Taliban returned to power, according to United Nations figures, with hundreds claimed by the Daesh’s local affiliate.
From Aug. 15, 2021, to June 10, 2025, the U.N. documented 24,882 security incidents nationwide. Of those, 379 were claimed by the Islamic State-Khorasan Province, or IS-K, the data shows.
The incidents have killed at least 1,369 civilians and wounded 3,273 others, according to quarterly U.N. reports. Last year, IS-K claimed responsibility for a bombing that killed Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, the Taliban’s acting minister for refugees and repatriation and the uncle of Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani.
The Taliban have repeatedly claimed they have established nationwide security, but independent sources and local observers say the violence persists.
The U.N. reports also recorded continued attacks by armed opposition groups, including the National Resistance Front led by Ahmad Massoud and the Afghanistan Freedom Front led by Yaseen Zia. The National Resistance Front claimed 255 attacks, while the Freedom Front claimed 102 over the past four years. Both groups assert their actual numbers are higher.
The reports also noted activity by the National Sovereignty Front and the Afghanistan Freedom Movement, as well as incidents attributed to anti-Taliban armed groups without specific attribution.
A recent report from the U.N. Security Council’s sanctions monitoring team said the Taliban have provided a safe operating environment for terrorist groups. The report warned of security threats emanating from Afghanistan and identified IS-K as the most serious terrorist threat globally, with around 2,000 fighters active in the country.
The report said al-Qaida maintains multiple training centers in Afghanistan, including three newly established ones, some of which are training members of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Taliban Officials Targeted by IS-K
IS-K has targeted several senior Taliban officials in recent years, killing:
— Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, acting minister for refugees and repatriation
— Daud Muzammil, Taliban governor of Balkh
— Nisar Ahmad Ahmadi, acting Taliban governor of Badakhshan
— Safi Samim, former Taliban police chief in Baghlan
— Hamdullah Noorzai, a senior Taliban commander
The Taliban say they have suppressed IS-K, claiming only 1% to 2% of its fighters remain in remote mountainous areas.
Friday marks the start of the Taliban’s fifth year in power, amid their claims of stability and persistent concerns from the international community over Afghanistan’s security environment.
