Vladimir Voronkov, head of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, has warned that the Islamic State group active in Afghanistan remains a serious threat to Central Asia and beyond.
Speaking at a UN Security Council session on Wednesday (August 20), Voronkov said that Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) continues to target Afghanistan’s population—particularly minorities and foreign nationals.
He noted that ISIS is exploiting public dissatisfaction with the Taliban to further its objectives. “The threat posed by ISIS remains volatile and complex,” he said, adding that despite sustained counterterrorism efforts, the group and its affiliates have shown continued resilience and adaptability.
Voronkov emphasized that ISIS has maintained its operational capacity even after the loss of several key leaders in recent years.
ISIS activities span from Asia to Africa. While the Taliban occasionally conducts operations against the group in parts of Afghanistan, it continues to deny ISIS’s presence and operational capacity in the country.
UN experts have previously confirmed that ISIS, TTP, and other extremist groups remain active in Afghanistan. Russia has claimed that more than 20 such groups, with over 15,000 members, are currently operating within the country.
