Alexander Zuev, acting under-secretary-general of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, has said that Al Qaeda continues to maintain a presence in Afghanistan despite a decline in its operational activity.
In an interview with Russia’s state-run TASS news agency, Zuev said Afghanistan remains home to several militant groups.
“Al Qaeda is not currently engaged in extensive activity in Afghanistan, but it continues to maintain a presence in the country,” Zuev said.
He added that the group maintains what he described as “complex relations” with the Taliban.
“We use the term ‘de facto authorities’ because we do not recognize them as Afghanistan’s official representatives at the United Nations,” Zuev said. “But in practice, they exercise control over the country.”
Zuev said the most active militant groups currently operating in Afghanistan are the ISIS-K, and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Taliban have repeatedly denied that foreign militant groups operate in Afghanistan and say they do not allow the country’s territory to be used to threaten other nations.
The United Nations and several member states, however, have continued to express concern about the presence of extremist groups in Afghanistan, including Al Qaeda and ISIS-K, in periodic assessments of the country’s security situation.
