Since the Taliban`s return to power in Afghanistan, the presence of ISIS and other terrorist groups in the country has remained a major concern for the international community, the region, and especially Afghanistan`s neighbors-concerns that have intensified with the continuation of ISIS attacks.

According to Ansar News Agency, Alexander Zuev, Acting Head of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, said that the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) continues to maintain a presence in Afghanistan.

Briefing the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday night, Zuev stated that ISIS`s presence in Afghanistan remains a serious threat to regional and extra-regional security. He cited last month`s ISIS attack on a Chinese restaurant in Kabul as evidence supporting this assessment.

Zuev noted that while ISIS attacks in Afghanistan have declined, the group still retains the capacity to regroup-among other methods, through online recruitment.

Concerns Raised by China and Pakistan

During the same Security Council session, representatives of China and Pakistan voiced concern over the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

China`s representative, referring to the attack on a Chinese restaurant in Kabul, said the presence of terrorists in Afghanistan must be taken seriously. The attack, which occurred late last month in the Shahr-e-Naw area of Kabul, killed six Afghan nationals and one Chinese citizen and wounded 14 others. It marked the latest in a series of attacks targeting Chinese nationals since the Taliban returned to power.

Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan`s representative to the United Nations, said that following the Taliban`s takeover, terrorist groups-including the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA)-have been revitalized. He added that these groups operate freely inside Afghanistan and use Afghan territory to launch attacks against Pakistan.

Countries in the region and beyond have repeatedly expressed concern over the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and have urged the Taliban to take serious action against them.

Taliban Denial

Responding to the concerns raised by Security Council members about ISIS`s presence in Afghanistan, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban, said that ISIS, after being defeated in Afghanistan, has "established its nests in neighboring countries."

Mujahid dismissed the Security Council`s concerns as "baseless," arguing that such worries arise because the Taliban have no representative present at Security Council meetings to present documented positions and what he called the "realities on the ground."

He added that "some countries exploit this vacuum to spread propaganda about Afghanistan`s security situation and create anxiety."

The Taliban have previously claimed they have crushed ISIS and that the group no longer operates in Afghanistan. They also assert that ISIS is now based in Pakistan and carries out attacks in Afghanistan from there.