Russia says 23,000 militants from 20 terror groups operating in Afghanistan

More than 23,000 militants from about 20 international groups are currently operating in Afghanistan, posing a threat to regional and global security, according to Russia’s Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu.

Writing in Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Shoigu said that “according to our estimates, there are about 20 international terrorist organisations in Afghanistan, with a total strength of more than 23,000 militants, posing a serious threat to the region and the world”.

He said 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.

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.

In response, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Afghan authorities, rejected the claims, describing the information and its sources 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.

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