Why Is the UN Security Council Concerned About Afghanistan?

News:

At its meeting on February 4, 2026, the United Nations Security Council expressed deep concerns about the activities of “terrorist” groups in Afghanistan. The session, which focused on threats posed by ISIS, was chaired by Alexander Zuev, Assistant Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, and Natalia Gherman, Executive Director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee. Key countries such as Pakistan, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom emphasized regional and global threats and called for urgent action. The United Kingdom, in particular, highlighted the threat posed by ISIS-Khorasan (ISIL-K) in Afghanistan, describing it as one of the most serious dangers to the region and beyond.

Comment:

Inside Afghanistan, the security situation is relatively calm, with the only major incident being the January 19 explosion at a Chinese restaurant in Kabul’s Shahr-e-Naw district, which killed seven people. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by ISIS-Khorasan, and one Chinese national was among the victims. Nevertheless, the UN Secretary-General’s report stresses that terrorism remains the Taliban’s primary security challenge and that the presence of groups such as ISIL-K, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan is undeniable.

Pakistan is currently engulfed in a severe security crisis. On February 6, a bombing at a Shiite Mosque in Islamabad killed at least 31 people and injured 169 others. Pakistan’s Minister of Defense, Khawaja Asif, claimed that the suicide bomber had traveled to Afghanistan and attributed the attack to “terrorist camps” allegedly operating there.

Earlier, coordinated attacks by Baloch separatists (BLA) between January 29 and February 5 left more than 50 people dead across 12 cities in Balochistan, pushing the province to the brink of collapse. In response, the Pakistani army reported killing 216 militants, yet insecurity continues in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal areas. These security challenges are compounded by Pakistan’s deep political and economic crises.

These instabilities are closely intertwined with the interests of major powers. South Asia is home to three nuclear powers—China, India, and Pakistan—and its proximity to Russia has turned it into a focal point of geopolitical rivalry. The region is rich in rare natural resources, fueling renewed forms of colonial competition. Its vast Muslim population and the presence of jihadist movements create the potential for the emergence of a unified Islamic force, which both Western and Eastern powers perceive as a strategic threat. Claims of terrorism are often used as pretexts for intervention and covert geopolitical maneuvering.

Pakistan, as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, presents misleading information about Afghanistan. Pakistan’s core problem is not the infiltration of armed groups from Afghanistan, but rather its prioritization of colonial powers over its own people. Instead of responding to popular demands and implementing Islamic principles in governance, Pakistan’s military regime accuses Afghanistan in order to appease Western powers and China. This approach will never bring peace to Pakistan. Genuine peace can only be achieved through the establishment of a unified state in the region—the Khilafah Rashidah (rightly guided Caliphate) upon the method of the Prophethood —one that fully implements Islam and prioritizes Islamic values over foreign interests.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Yousof Arsalan
Member of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Afghanistan