Dina Mahmoud (London)
Western analysts have warned of the exacerbation of the threat of terrorist organizations, which seek to establish strongholds and safe havens for themselves in various regions of Afghanistan, in light of the international community’s preoccupation with other, more heated issues in the world, most notably the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip and the escalation in Lebanon, and its regional repercussions. On the rise.
In this regard, analysts pointed to what was stated in the annual report recently issued by the United Nations on Afghanistan, in which it confirmed the increasing activity of terrorist groups there, at the operational and propaganda levels, especially on the part of Al-Qaeda, which is currently intensifying its campaigns aimed at rebuilding its capabilities. operations and recruiting more elements in Afghan territory.
According to the same report, the organization attracts veteran terrorists from outside Afghanistan to strengthen its cells spread there, while giving it greater priority to re-attracting those who previously joined its ranks, or participated in terrorist attacks, carried out by groups loyal to it, during the past few years.
Counter-terrorism experts also highlighted what was stated in the UN report that Al-Qaeda is not the only organization trying to exploit the security situation in the Afghan arena to consolidate its presence there, and its reference to the escalation of the threats of ISIS-Khorasan, especially in light of estimates, That he has thousands of militants deployed in Afghanistan.
The danger of this organization, which represents a wing of ISIS in the South Asia and Central Asia region, is increased by the fact that it works in a coordinated and close manner with other wings of the terrorist organization and also works to send its militants to launch attacks in countries that lie outside the usual scope of its operations, in the middle of Asian continent.
Since ISIS-Khorasan appeared on the terrorist scene in the middle of the last decade, its attacks have spread to countries such as Tajikistan, and people in countries such as Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Bangladesh have declared their loyalty to it. This organization has previously carried out attacks against civilians in Afghanistan, including a bombing that struck Kabul in May 2021, which killed about 90 people.
In addition to these terrorist risks threatening security in Afghanistan, there is the threat posed by the Pakistani Taliban movement, which is active in tribal areas along the Pakistani-Afghan border.
In statements published by the American magazine National Review on its website, Western experts considered that the indicators indicating that terrorist organizations are intensifying their activities in Afghanistan suggest that this country has become more like a “powder keg,” the explosion of which may become only a matter of time away.
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