Af harbours terror groups despite Taliban’s pledge, says US monitor

Despite the 2020 Doha Agreement, Afghanistan remains a safe haven for major terrorist organisations including Al-Qaida, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and ISIS-K, the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has said in its latest quarterly report, warning of rising militant threats and worsening regional instability.

Nearly four years after the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan continues to spiral into insecurity, diplomatic isolation and humanitarian collapse.

The SIGAR report noted that the Taliban’s harsh policies, especially restrictions targeting women and girls, have undermined its push for international recognition and further isolated the regime from the global economic system.

“ISIS-Khorasan” was identified as the “largest transnational terrorist threat” emanating from Afghan soil, with SIGAR highlighting grave risks posed to ethnic and religious minorities, UN personnel, diplomats, and foreign nationals. It is reported that rather than eliminating such groups, the Taliban has been accused of enabling them.

The report stated that the Taliban has continued its support for the TTP, which maintains around 6,500 fighters in eastern Afghanistan. This alleged support not only violates the spirit of the Doha Agreement but also reinforces fears that Afghanistan could again become a launchpad for global terrorism.

The humanitarian crisis has also intensified following the US decision to halt financial aid in April. Millions of Afghans have been left without life-saving assistance, the report warned.

Pak asks Afghans in KPK to leave immediately

Afghans living in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been directed to leave the country without delay as their Proof of Registration cards expired on June 30. More than a million Afghans have left Pakistan since November 2023. These include more than 2,00,000 since April this year itself.