The chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia warned on Thursday that Afghanistan remains a breeding ground for terrorism, despite Taliban commitments made under the Doha peace agreement.
Representative Bill Huizenga criticised the Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, calling it rushed and stating that it had fundamentally altered the region’s terrorist threat landscape. Speaking during a subcommittee hearing, Huizenga said Afghanistan has once again become a safe haven for terrorist groups.
He identified ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as the most significant threats in South and Central Asia, warning that these groups are expanding their operational capabilities to conduct attacks both regionally and globally.
“Groups like ISIS-K and TTP are now more prominent than ever,” Huizenga said, highlighting Pakistan as the country that has suffered the highest number of terrorist attacks in recent years.
While the Taliban claim to have defeated extremist threats, Huizenga pointed to their failure to contain ISIS-K. He noted that the group continues to launch attacks and actively radicalise and recruit individuals, including from migrant communities outside Central Asia.
The congressman cited ISIS-K’s deadly 2021 attack at Kabul airport, as well as its operations in Russia, Iran and its failed plot targeting the Paris Summer Olympics, as examples of its expanding reach.
Huizenga emphasised the continued leadership role of the United States in global counterterrorism efforts, saying Washington works with international partners through bilateral agreements and multilateral frameworks to combat terrorism.
“The United States remains committed to supporting our allies in the region as they confront these persistent threats,” he said.
