Concerns of Al – Qaida and IS Expansions

UN Report Raises Concerns of Al-Qaida and Islamic State Expansion in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan

Washington- According to a United Nations report, released this week, based on member state intelligence, al-Qaida and the Islamic State (IS) terror group’s Afghan affiliate are experiencing significant growth in numbers and capabilities in Afghanistan.

 The report states that the terror groups have greater freedom of manoeuvre under Taliban rule and are making good use of it. The report highlights the symbiotic relationship between al-Qaida and the Taliban, with al-Qaida viewing Taliban-administered Afghanistan as a safe haven.

The report also mentions that the Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-Khorasan or ISIS-K) has capitalized on the Taliban’s inability to establish control over remote areas and dissatisfaction with their rule to boost recruitment and carry out attacks.

The report estimates that al-Qaida has 30 to 60 senior officials and 400 fighters, along with training camps in Afghanistan, while IS-Khorasan has grown to 4,000 to 6,000 members with strongholds in multiple provinces. However, U.S. officials have expressed scepticism about the report’s findings, stating that they do not align with their own intelligence assessments.