Extremist Groups in Afghanistan Pose Growing Global Threat, Experts Warn

The terrorist ambitions of extremist groups operating under the Afghan Taliban regime have raised serious concerns for both regional and global peace.

The security experts have revealed that Afghanistan has once again become a sanctuary for banned militant organizations such as ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and other violent networks active across Central and South Asia. These developments have led many observers to warn that the Taliban’s rule poses growing threats beyond Afghanistan’s borders.

Several recent incidents involving Afghan-born individuals have intensified global alarm. On November 26, 2025, Afghan-born Rahmanullah Lakhanwal was involved in a shooting near the White House that resulted in the deaths of two National Guardsmen. CNN reported that the suspect had previously worked with a CIA-backed force in Afghanistan, and the CIA director stated that he had remained in contact with extremist organizations inside Afghanistan. Another Afghan national, Jamal Wali, was accused of shooting and injuring two police officers in Virginia, adding to concerns about cross-border radicalization.

American Homeland Security has recorded earlier cases involving Afghan-origin individuals charged with criminal or extremist activities. These include the arrests of Abdullah Hajizadeh and Nasir Ahmad Tohidi for an alleged plot to attack the 2024 Election Day, the detention of Mohammad Kharwin in 2024 while on the terrorism watch list, and the convictions or arrests of Afghan nationals such as Javed Ahmadi, Bahrullah Noori, and Zabihullah Mohmand in separate criminal cases.

The spillover from warfare has also devastated Central Asia. On November 27, 2025, three Chinese workers were killed in Tajikistan in a drone strike alleged to have been fired from Afghan territory. Two more Chinese laborers were slain on December 1 in additional fighting involving insurgents connected to Afghanistan, Tajik officials subsequently confirmed. These occurrences suggest an alarming spread of terrorist violence from Afghanistan into neighboring nations.

Pakistan and other international observers have repeatedly voiced concern about militant groups operating freely within Afghanistan. Several terrorists killed or captured in Pakistan this year were confirmed to be Afghan nationals. Analysts argue that the presence of these networks threatens the entire region.

Major global institutions have issued similar warnings. The Australian magazine The Conversation reported that the overall threat of terrorism has risen significantly since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, with extremist groups re-establishing bases in northern and eastern Afghanistan. The U.S. Institute of Peace has also declared that Afghanistan poses a renewed danger to international peace and stability. Fox News reported that, on November 29, 2025, Afghan-born Mohammad Dawood was arrested in Texas for issuing a bomb threat on social media. UN monitoring bodies and SIGAR have consistently documented increased militant activity inside Afghanistan.

At a recent UN Security Council meeting, Denmark and Russia cautioned the global community about the dangerous intentions of extremist factions operating from Afghanistan. Due to rising security concerns, countries including Iran, Germany, and others have begun deporting Afghan residents involved in or suspected of extremist behavior.

Security specialists finalized that extremist ideologies rooted in militant groups inside Afghanistan are now spreading outward and have become a significant threat to peace in Central Asia, Europe, and the United States, with the potential to destabilize global security if left unchecked.