The Taliban in Kabul has rejected Russian claims that more than 23,000 militants from around 20 international terror groups are currently operating within Afghanistan.

Writing in Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Russia’s Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu had warned of "a serious threat to the region and the world.”

He acknowledged that the Afghan leadership was taking measures to combat terrorism “to the best of its ability”, but argued that the continued presence of armed groups remained a destabilising factor.

However, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Afghan authorities, described the claim as inaccurate. He said Afghanistan was secure and under a unified authority, adding that “no such groups are present” and urging Russia to update its assessments based on “objective facts.”

The International Crisis Group has previously cautioned that estimating the strength of militant groups in Afghanistan is inherently difficult, noting that while ISIS-K - the Afghanistan-based regional affiliate of the Islamic State group - remains a threat, assessments of its size and operational capacity vary and are often uncertain.

Shoigu described the Afghan branch of ISIS, known as “Wilayat Khorasan”, as the “greatest concern”. He said the group maintains training camps and operational bases mainly in eastern, northern and north-eastern Afghanistan. He also noted that Kabul “regularly eliminates” ISIS-affiliated militants.

Impact of sanctions

Linking security and narcotics, Shoigu said the activities of terrorist groups were directly connected to drug production. He added that Western sanctions on the Taliban had reduced the effectiveness of counter-terrorism efforts, stating: “If it were not for the punitive sanctions imposed by Western countries … this fight would be more effective.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry has previously said Moscow would strengthen cooperation with Kabul in combating narcotics trafficking and terrorism.

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