Élisabeth Maire, France’s Deputy Political Coordinator at the United Nations, has warned that Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) in Afghanistan constitutes a serious threat to regional and international peace and security.
Speaking at a UN Security Council session on Wednesday (August 20), where countries like Pakistan and China also raised alarm over terrorism threats linked to Afghanistan, Maire stressed that ISIS is gaining ground globally, with Africa emerging as the new epicenter of terrorist activity.
She also cautioned about the risk of renewed extremist resurgence in the security, particularly in Syria.
Pakistan’s permanent representative reiterated that terrorism rooted in or emanating from Afghanistan is the “most significant threat” to the region and the world. Asim Iftikhar Ahmad pointed to the active presence of ISIS-K, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) in Afghanistan, alleging their close coordination in sharing resources, intelligence, and operational space.
He said TTP and BLA have found safe havens in Taliban-ungoverned regions, and while the Taliban has targeted ISIS-K, it has done little to contain these two groups.
China’s Deputy UN Representative, Geng Shuang, echoed these concerns, saying terrorist groups remain operational in Afghanistan and continue to orchestrate “heinous attacks.” He named ISIS-K, al-Qaeda, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), TTP, and BLA as actors cooperating from within Afghan territory.
