MT Desk: The United Nations Security Council has rejected the Afghan Taliban’s claim that Afghan territory is not being used for cross-border terrorist attacks, terming the assertion “unreliable” in its latest report. Several terrorist groups continue to operate from Afghanistan, posing serious risks to regional stability as per the 16th report of the UN Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team.

The report warns that countries in the region are increasingly viewing Afghanistan as a source of growing regional insecurity. The report states that multiple UN member states have informed the council that Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K), Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), al-Qaeda, the Turkistan Islamic Party, Jamaat Ansarullah and other militant groups remain active in Afghanistan, with some also involved in planning external attacks.

The UN noted that al-Qaeda maintains close ties with the Taliban while IS-K is considered the Taliban’s primary adversary. However, the report identified the TTP as the most significant regional threat, citing its continued operations from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan. It further highlighted internal differences within the Taliban leadership on the TTP issue. While some senior Taliban figures view the TTP as harmful to relations with Pakistan, others continue to support the group.

According to the report, the TTP carried out more than 600 attacks in Pakistan in 2025, many of them complex in nature. The majority of suicide bombers involved were reportedly Afghan nationals. The report also acknowledged Pakistan’s progress in counterterrorism efforts, including the arrest of IS-K Spokesperson Sultan Aziz Azam and several other key militants.