The findings were published on August 10 by the UN Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team. Based on assessments and intelligence provided by UN member states, the report evaluates global and regional terrorism trends covering the period from December 15, 2025, to June 9, 2026.
According to the monitor's assessment, Al-Qaeda’s overall posture and operational capacity in Afghanistan have remained largely consistent, while its regional branch, AQIS, has shifted toward a more structured regional framework. Moving away from larger operational units, the group is now focusing on building smaller, isolated cells, securing logistics, and expanding its financial networks.
To illustrate AQIS's active operations, the report referenced last November’s attack near the Red Fort in Delhi, for which the group was officially held responsible. Building on these regional developments, a dedicated section of the report raised alarms over AQIS's attempts to establish small organizational cells within Bangladesh.
The UN monitoring team noted that AQIS seeks to leverage Bangladesh to further its operational interests, while clarifying that the specific branch has not yet been formally added to the UN Security Council Sanctions List.
The report further noted that AQIS served as the primary foundation for Ittihad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan (IMP), a militant group implicated in multiple attacks across Pakistan. Notable among these was a May 9 attack near a security checkpoint in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, involving a suicide bomber and an explosives-laden vehicle that resulted in 21 fatalities.
Addressing AQIS’s operational leadership, the Security Council report revealed that key figures reside in the Afghan capital of Kabul, possessing Tazkira national identity cards issued by the Taliban administration. Member states view this as an indicator of ongoing coordination between the Taliban and AQIS leadership.
The report also underlined broader security risks across Central and South Asia, noting persistent tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border driven by cross-border strikes. It highlighted continued backing by the Taliban for Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), despite public denials by the Taliban administration regarding the harboring of foreign militant entities.
Member states warned that prolonged instability along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border could create opportunities for militant organizations to expand their reach, thereby elevating overall security risks across Central and South Asia.
