Russian Official: ISIS and Anti-Taliban Groups, Backed by Britain, Seek to Control Areas in Afghanistan

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Alexander Bortnikov, Director of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), says that the Vilayat Khorasan branch of the Islamic State (ISKP), which is outlawed in Russia and opposes the Afghan authorities, is actively recruiting individuals from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) member states into terrorist structures. 'Vilayat Khorasan is actively recruiting militants from other terrorist organizations now, supporters from citizens of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, as well as migrant workers in Russia,' he said at a meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of Security Agencies and Special Services. He added that conspiracy terrorist networks are being established across CIS countries, resource channels are being created, and terrorist attacks are being planned. Bortnikov noted that earlier this year, the FSB, together with Tajikistan's security services, identified and neutralized a terrorist cell that was allegedly planning high-profile attacks. He further stated that in cooperation with the State Security Service of Uzbekistan, five planned terrorist attacks were prevented in various regions of Russia, including Moscow. The FSB chief also claimed that Vilayat Khorasan, jihadist groups associated with it, and armed anti-Taliban opposition groups are continuing efforts to weaken the government in Kabul, allegedly with the support of British intelligence services. According to him, these groups are seeking to expand areas outside Taliban control, particularly in northern Afghanistan. He further stated that Western countries aim to use influence in northern Afghanistan to affect the situation in Central Asian republics in their favor. In this regard, Bortnikov emphasized the importance of developing counterterrorism contacts with the Afghan colleagues. 'For our part, we are conducting such work, including as part of broader efforts to promote political stabilization in Afghanistan and normalize relations between Kabul and Islamabad. Our common security will clearly depend on peace in the Afghan-Pakistani region,' he concluded. These remarks come amid ongoing debates over the security situation in Afghanistan, where the Taliban deny the presence of ISKP and claim to have eliminated the group. The Taliban also do not acknowledge the existence of armed opposition factions operating within the country. More on this story Despite Taliban claims of having restored security and dismantled ISKP, the terror group continues to carry out attacks, targeting ethnic minorities, Taliban members, and foreign nationals. Since the Taliban's return to power, ISKP has claimed responsibility for dozens of deadly incidents across Afghanistan. ISKP, or Islamic State Khorasan Province, is a regional affiliate of the Islamic State militant group operating primarily in Afghanistan and parts of South Asia and Central Asia. The group emerged in 2015 and is considered one of the most active and violent extremist organizations in the region. It has been responsible for numerous high-profile attacks targeting civilians, government institutions, and foreign nationals, and it remains a key security concern despite repeated claims by the Taliban that it has been dismantled. The presence of ISKP in Afghanistan has been repeatedly highlighted in reports by regional and international security officials, who warn that the group continues to operate in different parts of the country and maintain recruitment networks. For example, about four months ago, ISKP claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Kabul that killed at least seven people, including a Chinese national, and injured more than a dozen others. The explosion took place inside a Chinese-run restaurant called 'Chinese Noodle' in a hotel located in the Shahr-e-Naw neighborhood, one of Kabul's heavily guarded commercial districts. According to reports from the humanitarian Emergency Hospital, at least seven people were killed and 13 others, including four women and one child, were injured. Taliban authorities also confirmed the blast and casualties, identifying the deceased Chinese national as Abdul Majid, a Muslim man who, along with his wife and an Afghan partner, operated the restaurant inside the hotel. A United Nations report last year described ISKP as the most serious terrorist threat in Afghanistan and the wider region, noting its active presence in eastern and northern provinces such as Nangarhar, Kunar, and parts of Badakhshan, as well as its urban terror campaigns and online recruitment efforts in multiple languages. The allegations reflect broader geopolitical tensions surrounding Afghanistan's security landscape, particularly as regional and international actors present differing assessments of militant activity and foreign involvement. Afghanistan remains a key focal point for regional security, with developments in the country closely tied to stability in Central Asia, Pakistan, and wider international counterterrorism efforts.