Afghanistan harbours major terror groups despite Taliban's Doha pledge, warns SIGAR report

Kabul [Afghanistan], August 2 : Despite the 2020 Doha Agreement, Afghanistan remains a safe haven for major terrorist organisations including Al-Qaeda, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and ISIS-K, the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has said in its latest quarterly report, warning of rising militant threats and worsening regional instability, Khaama Press reported.

Nearly four years after the Taliban's return to power, Afghanistan continues to spiral into insecurity, diplomatic isolation, and humanitarian collapse. According to Khaama Press, 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. Khaama Press 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, according to Khaama Press.

The humanitarian crisis has also intensified following the U.S. decision to halt financial aid in April. Millions of Afghans have been left without life-saving assistance, the report warned. "Devastating impacts" have already been witnessed in vulnerable communities, the International Rescue Committee noted. Before the aid cutoff, the U.S. had contributed over $30 million to the UN's 2025 humanitarian response plan.

Khaama Press reported that diplomatic efforts have seen little progress. Talks between the Taliban and UN officials in Doha have stalled, as the group resists adopting international norms in exchange for economic relief. The U.S., meanwhile, has scaled down its engagement, limiting it to counterterrorism efforts and the repatriation of American citizens.

"Continued support is impossible so long as the Taliban harbors terrorists and enforces repressive policies," U.S. officials have stated.

In conclusion, SIGAR warned that by sheltering militant groups, rejecting reform, and failing to uphold international commitments, the Taliban has deepened Afghanistan's internal crisis and left the broader region exposed to renewed instability, Khaama Press reported.

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