KABUL — Afghanistan experienced over 9,200 security incidents in the past year, despite the Taliban’s claims of nationwide stability, according to a United Nations report. The data, covering February 2024 to February 2025, includes 22 attacks claimed by ISIS-K.
At least 210 civilians were killed, and 429 others were injured in these incidents, the report found.
Although the Taliban insist they have eliminated ISIS-K, the group claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in December 2023 that killed Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani, a senior Taliban official.
Additionally, ISIS-K carried out two suicide attacks targeting Kabul Bank branches, where Taliban fighters gathered to collect their salaries. The attacks echoed the Taliban’s own past tactics against the former Afghan government.
The UN report found that ISIS-K attacks were not limited to targeting the Taliban. The group also launched bombings and suicide attacks against ethnic Hazaras, Shiite Muslims, Sufi worshippers, and foreign nationals in Afghanistan.
Key ISIS-K attacks documented in the UN report include:
May 18, 2024 – Attack on foreign tourists in Bamiyan
September 3, 2024 – Attack on Taliban prosecutors in Kabul
September 13, 2024 – Attack on Hazaras and Shiite communities on the Daikundi-Ghor border
August 12, 2024 – Bus bombing in western Kabul
November 22, 2024 – Attack on Sufi worshippers in Baghlan
ISIS-K attacks on Taliban security forces at bank branches in Kandahar and Kunduz were particularly devastating, according to the UN.
April 21, 2024 – Suicide bombing at Kabul Bank in Kandahar
25 Taliban fighters killed, 45 wounded, along with five civilians
February 12, 2025 – Suicide bombing at Kabul Bank in Kunduz
The UN report also documented attacks by armed resistance groups fighting against Taliban rule.
From February 2024 to February 2025, the National Resistance Front (NRF), led by Ahmad Massoud, and the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF), led by Yasin Zia, conducted a combined 264 attacks against Taliban forces, including NRF (190 attacks) and AFF (74 attacks).
Though the Taliban downplay the impact of these groups, military analysts suggest the resistance movements could escalate their operations in the coming year as Taliban leadership faces internal divisions and mounting security threats.
The Taliban continue to insist that Afghanistan poses no security threat to neighboring countries or the wider world. However, regional and global powers have expressed growing concerns over the resurgence of terrorist activity in the country.
Despite Taliban claims of control, analysts predict that security threats could intensify in the coming months, particularly as internal rifts within the Taliban leadership widen.
