Taliban Lacks Full Control Over Afghanistan, Says U.S. Secretary Of State

Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, has raised concerns over terrorist activity in Afghanistan, stating that the Taliban does not have full control over the country.

In an exclusive interview with Canadian-American journalist Catherine Herridge, Rubio warned that contested governance in Afghanistan creates opportunities for terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS to operate.

Addressing concerns about the presence of these groups, Rubio stated: “Anytime you have governing spaces that are contested, where there isn’t full control over every part of the territory, it creates an opportunity for these groups.”

He noted that the key difference between the current situation and a decade ago is the absence of U.S. forces in the region to conduct counterterrorism operations.

The Secretary of State acknowledged that in some instances, the Taliban has cooperated with requests to pursue ISIS and Al-Qaeda but stressed that this cooperation has been inconsistent. He further emphasised that while the situation is not identical to the pre-9/11 period, the current level of uncertainty poses serious risks.

Rubio also pointed out that concerns about terrorist resurgence extend beyond Afghanistan, citing Syria as another area of instability. He highlighted that while many are pleased that Bashar al-Assad is no longer in power, around 8,000 ISIS members are currently held in Syrian prisons. He warned that any further regional instability could lead to their release, exacerbating security threats.