KABUL: A quarterly report on Afghanistan by the United Nations documents a surge in attacks by armed groups opposing Taliban rule and notes persistent internal tensions among Afghan leaders.
The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) quarterly assessment report, recently submitted to the Security Council by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, recorded 2,505 security related incidents, a 55 per cent increase compared with the same period in 2023.
The report stated that while the armed opposition has not significantly challenged the Taliban’s territorial control since their return to power in August 2021, two groups—the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) and the National Resistance Front (NRF)—have conducted verified attacks during the reporting period, primarily targeting Taliban security forces in Kabul, the country capital.
According to the UN report, the NRF carried out 29 confirmed attacks in the past three months, with 20 in Kabul and the remainder in the northern provinces of Takhar, Baghlan, and Parwan. The AFF conducted 14 attacks, all in the national capital. Both groups employed hit-and-run tactics, using grenades in 22 attacks and improvised explosive devices in seven others. One notable NRF-claimed attack on February 26 targeted the Taliban-run military zone of Kabul International Airport, firing three mortars but causing no confirmed damage or casualties.
NRF spokesman Ali Maisam Nazary disputed the U.N. assessment, expressing disappointment over the reported figures and accusing the U.N. of downplaying the security and other crises in Afghanistan. Nazary claimed that the NRF had conducted over 160 successful operations this year, far more than the 29 reported.
The U.N. report highlights the Taliban’s media crackdown, making it difficult for reporters to verify insurgent claims. Taliban officials have not commented on the report.
The NRF and AFF consist of political and military officials from the former internationally-backed government in Kabul, ousted by the Taliban. Taliban authorities claim to have restored peace across all 34 provinces with public support, despite reports of armed insurgency.
The Taliban’s male-only government remains internationally isolated, condemned for its severe restrictions on women’s and girls’ education and employment. No country has formally recognized the Taliban leadership, nor has any foreign government, including the United States, supported a war against the Afghan rulers.
The U.N. report also documented six attacks by the Afghan-based Islamic State affiliate, Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), during the reporting period. These attacks mainly targeted the Taliban, including a suicide bombing outside a bank in Kandahar city on March 21, which killed at least 25 Taliban security forces and wounded 45 others, along with five civilians. Taliban officials confirmed only three fatalities and about a dozen injuries.
The U.S. military commanders and intelligence chiefs regard IS-K as the most potent threat to Taliban rule in Afghanistan and beyond. The Taliban claim their counterterrorism operations have significantly degraded IS-K’s presence and attack capabilities.
The U.N. report also notes some internal tensions within the Taliban over governance issues. Despite maintaining public unity and exerting authority over the entire national territory, divergent views persisted within their structure. The Taliban continued outreach efforts to bridge gaps with communities and elicit support while reducing space for civil and political activities.
Taliban officials, however, dismiss reports of internal rifts as Western propaganda. Suhail Shaheen, head of the Taliban’s Qatar-based political office, recently refuted allegations of divisions involving their supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, calling them rumors.
