RASC News Agency: At a United Nations Security Council meeting, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya raised concerns that ISIS is striving to position itself as a successor to the Taliban, posing a grave threat to regional stability. Nebenzya emphasized that ISIS has bolstered its operations in Afghanistan and has extended its reach with attacks in other nations. He noted that the group is receiving financial support from inside Afghanistan, with foreign fighters joining its ranks. Nebenzya also warned of the serious danger that U.S. military equipment left behind in Afghanistan may fall into the hands of terrorist factions.
These warnings follow one of the most devastating attacks in Moscow’s history, attributed to ISIS. On March 22, ISIS orchestrated an assault on a concert hall in the suburbs of Moscow, resulting in 140 fatalities and 182 injuries. Alexander Bortnikov, head of Russia’s Federal Security Service, identified ISIS-K, the Afghanistan-based branch of the group, as the perpetrator of the attack. In his address, Nebenzya also stressed the need for a broad-based government in Afghanistan, advocating for the inclusion of all ethnic and political groups in the nation’s political system. He underscored the importance of dialogue with the Taliban as a means of reintegrating Afghanistan into the international community.
China’s representative to the UN echoed these concerns, citing the growing threat of ISIS and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. “Terrorist groups such as ISIS and al-Qaeda have intensified their activities in Afghanistan, posing a serious threat to the nation and to global security,” the Chinese envoy warned. Earlier, a special report from the UN Security Council revealed that al-Qaeda has reestablished its bases in Afghanistan, while ISIS is actively working to rebuild its presence and extend its influence into neighboring countries and the wider region.
