ISIS Ordered Fighters in Afghanistan To Carry Out Operations in Other Countries, Says UN

The UN Secretary-General, in his latest report to the Security Council, warned about the increasing cross-border threats posed by ISIS-Khorasan in Afghanistan.

According to reports, ISIS has ordered its fighters in Afghanistan to carry out attacks in other countries.

This warning was issued in the UN Secretary-General's report to the Security Council regarding ISIS’ threat to international security.

In Antonio Guterres’ report, Afghanistan is described as a dangerous base for ISIS-K to launch attacks on Europe and regional countries.

The report indicates that, following terrorist attacks in Kerman, Iran, on January 3, and in Moscow on March 22, the threat posed by various groups based in Afghanistan has raised concerns among member states.

It further noted that member states have reported ISIS directing its operatives in Afghanistan and neighbouring countries to conduct attacks abroad, while also exploiting Afghan and Central Asian migrant communities for logistical, financial, and operational support.

Despite the dismantling of several ISIS-K cells in Europe, logistical and financial support remains available to operatives travelling from Afghanistan and Central Asia to Europe, according to the report.

Intelligence from member states, whose names were not disclosed in the Secretary-General’s report, indicates that ISIS-K, through its networks between Afghanistan and Turkiye, is capable of transferring its operatives from Central Asia and Afghanistan to Europe for operations.

The report also mentioned that ISIS-K is attempting to recruit Afghan migrants in Europe.
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council's Sanctions Monitoring Team, in its 34th report on ISIS, al-Qaeda, and the Pakistani Taliban, issued a similar warning.

The Security Council's Monitoring Team report indicated that European countries now assess ISIS-K as the largest terrorist threat to Europe.

The committee’s report referred to several operations against ISIS in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Turkiye, highlighting the renewed ambitions, efforts, and potential capacity of the group to carry out large-scale attacks on European soil.

The monitoring team predicted that in the coming year, Europe will face more complex plots from ISIS, which is why both European and non-European countries are deeply concerned about the terrorist threat emanating from Afghanistan.

The report also mentioned that ISIS is focusing on expanding its presence in Africa. The group has demonstrated its presence through bloody attacks on civilians in Africa.

This is not the first time the UN and its members have warned about the threat of ISIS and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan. However, the Taliban has described these warnings as an exaggeration of the ISIS threat.

Nevertheless, the Security Council’s Monitoring Team, in its new report, estimated that the number of ISIS fighters ranges from 4,000 to 6,000.

The report states that Sanaullah Ghafari remains the leader of the ISIS-K branch in Afghanistan, and Abu Ahmad al-Madani (an Iraqi national) commands the group's external operations unit in Kunar, Nuristan, and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Previously, the Taliban claimed that the ISIS threat in Afghanistan had been significantly weakened. However, this week, ISIS attacked the Taliban’s Directorate of Monitoring and Enforcement of Taliban Decrees in Kabul.

Naseer Faiq, Afghanistan's representative to the UN, said this attack shows that the Taliban's claim of securing Afghanistan is questionable, as ordinary people continue to be killed by terrorist attacks.

The Security Council's committee said that ISIS-K is seeking to control Afghanistan as the country is a territory from which it can infiltrate neighbouring countries and expand terrorist threats to Central Asia, Russia, and Iran.

According to the committee, ISIS has softened its domestic operations in Afghanistan but strengthened its external operations.

The report states that the main routes for ISIS fighters entering Afghanistan are from Central Asia, Turkiye, and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Currently, ISIS has sent part of its forces to Kunar and Nangarhar, and others to Badakhshan, Herat, and Nimroz.