Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the Taliban’s defense minister, has said that some countries are seeking to destabilize Afghanistan, as regional tensions and disputes over militant groups continue to strain relations between the Taliban and neighboring Pakistan.
Speaking at the Moscow Conference on International Security, Yaqoob said certain countries were trying to portray Afghanistan as insecure and interfere in its internal affairs.
“Unfortunately, some parties are trying once again to undermine the country’s security for their own interests,” Yaqoob said. “They attribute their political, security and economic problems to Afghanistan and, without justification, portray our country as insecure.”
He also said no country should interfere in Afghanistan’s domestic affairs.
Although Yaqoob did not identify any country, his remarks come amid continuing tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan over the activities of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, a militant group responsible for a growing number of attacks inside Pakistan.
Pakistani officials have repeatedly urged the Taliban to take action against TTP fighters allegedly operating from Afghan territory. Taliban have denied that the group maintains a presence in Afghanistan and insist they do not allow the country’s soil to be used against other countries.
However, a recent report by the United Nations sanctions monitoring team estimated that TTP has approximately 6,000 fighters in Afghanistan and described the group as continuing to enjoy operational freedom in parts of the country.
Yaqoob also rejected concerns about the Islamic State’s Afghanistan affiliate, ISIS-K, saying the group had been eliminated as a security threat.
“There is no threat from ISIS in Afghanistan,” he said, without providing evidence for the claim.
His assessment differs sharply from those of the United Nations and several regional governments.
UN reports have repeatedly warned that ISIS-K remains active in Afghanistan and continues efforts to recruit fighters and expand its operations. Russian officials have similarly expressed concern about the group’s presence.
Earlier this month, Sergei Shoigu, secretary of Russia’s Security Council, said between 18,000 and 23,000 fighters affiliated with more than 20 armed groups were operating in Afghanistan. He also estimated that ISIS-K has about 3,000 members in the country.
Taliban have consistently disputed such figures and maintain that they have dismantled ISIS networks and restored nationwide security since returning to power in 2021.
Yaqoob also said the Taliban had established a professional and organized defense structure capable of strengthening Afghanistan’s internal security and contributing to regional stability. He did not provide details about the structure.
His remarks came during the Moscow Conference on International Security, an annual forum hosted by Russia’s Security Council that brings together defense and security officials from dozens of countries.
Separately, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Vasily Osmakov, a deputy defense minister, met with Yaqoob in Moscow to discuss regional security issues in Central and South Asia and prospects for expanding bilateral military cooperation.
“In the course of the meeting, the parties discussed issues of regional security in Central and South Asia, as well as prospects for bilateral military cooperation in areas of mutual interest,” the ministry said in a statement.
The meeting followed reports by Russian media that Moscow and Taliban had recently signed a military-technical cooperation agreement, though neither side has publicly disclosed details of the arrangement.
Russia has expanded contacts with the Taliban in recent years and became the first country to formally recognize the Taliban rule. At the same time, Russian officials continue to warn about terrorism, extremist groups and drug trafficking originating from Afghanistan, reflecting Moscow’s ongoing security concerns despite its growing engagement with Taliban.
