UN report says Afghan soil being used by militant groups for cross-border attacks

(Web Desk) – A recent report by the United Nations Security Council states that there are indications that the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has continued to receive significant logistical and operational support from the Afghan Taliban.

The report also dismissed the Taliban’s claim that Afghan territory is not being used by militant groups for cross-border attacks, calling the assertion “not credible” and warning that neighbouring countries increasingly see Afghanistan as a source of regional instability.

The findings appear in the 16th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, submitted to the UN Security Council, amid growing international concern over Afghanistan’s security situation after the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.

“The de facto authorities continue to deny that any terrorist groups have a footprint in or operate from its territory. That claim is not credible,” the report stated.

Under the 2020 Doha Agreement, the Taliban pledged to prevent Afghan soil from being used to threaten other states. While they have aggressively targeted Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIL-K) since taking power, the UN says their approach toward other militant groups has been markedly different.

According to the report, UN member states consistently confirm the presence in Afghanistan of ISIL-K, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Al Qaeda, the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM/TIP), Jamaat Ansarullah, Ittihadul Mujahideen Pakistan, and other groups. Some of these organisations continue to use Afghan territory to plan and prepare attacks abroad.

Al Qaeda is assessed to maintain close ties with the Taliban and retain a low-profile but persistent presence across several Afghan provinces, benefiting from what the UN describes as a permissive environment for training and reorganisation. ISIL-K, meanwhile, remains the Taliban’s primary adversary. Although Taliban operations have reduced its territorial control, the group has proven resilient and continues to conduct attacks both inside Afghanistan and internationally.

The report identifies TTP as the most serious threat to regional stability, describing it as operating from Afghan sanctuaries with the support of elements within the Taliban.

“Taliban authorities continue to deny and deflect responsibility for failing to restrain TTP,” the report said, adding that sympathy and allegiance toward the group exist within Taliban ranks. While some senior Taliban figures reportedly view TTP as a liability that damages relations with Pakistan, others continue to support it.

Given the group’s historical ties with the Taliban, the report assessed that they are unlikely to act decisively against TTP, even under pressure from Pakistan, and may lack the capacity to do so even if they wished.

The report noted that TTP has carried out numerous high-profile attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil, making it the most immediate source of tension between Kabul and Islamabad. TTP attacks in Pakistan have increased throughout 2025, with estimates placing the number at over 600 attacks so far this year.

Many of these attacks were described as complex and coordinated, involving vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices and suicide attackers. The report added that a majority of suicide bombers involved in attacks in Pakistan were reportedly Afghan nationals.

The UN estimates that around 6,000 TTP fighters are based in Afghanistan, primarily in the provinces of Khost, Kunar, Nangarhar, Paktika, and Paktia, while the group’s leader, Noor Wali Mehsud, is reportedly residing in Kabul. One unnamed member state claimed that Mehsud’s family receives a monthly payment of three million Afghanis (approximately $43,000) from the Taliban.

The presence of TTP has severely strained Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, leading to cross-border military clashes, casualties, and disruptions in trade. The report estimated that the closure of border crossings with Pakistan is costing the Afghan economy around $1 million per day.

The monitoring team also noted that TTP has expanded its targeting. In January, the group issued a directive widening its attacks to include military-owned businesses, significantly escalating threats to Pakistan’s military economic interests and Chinese enterprises operating in the country. Cooperation between TTP and other militant groups was also highlighted.

Despite the broader militant threat, the report acknowledged some counterterrorism progress by Pakistan, including the arrest of ISIL-K spokesperson Sultan Aziz Azam on May 16, 2025.

Overall, the report said ISIL-K’s operational capabilities have been degraded due to counterterrorism efforts by both Pakistan and the Taliban. It cited the mid-2025 arrest of Ozgur Altun (Abu Yasir al-Turki) by Turkish and Pakistani authorities as a key factor behind the suspension of ISIL-K’s media outlet, Voice of Khorasan.

Regarding Al Qaeda, the report said Osama Mahmoud was formally appointed emir of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) in March 2025. He reportedly hails from Bajaur district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.