A new report by the UN Security Council`s Monitoring Team on Sanctions shows that, despite Taliban claims, ISIS remains active in Afghanistan, has infiltrated structures under Taliban control, and is actively seeking to recruit fighters from Central Asia as well as children and adolescents inside Afghanistan.

According to Ansar News Agency, the report states that the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) currently has around 2,000 fighters operating in Afghanistan.

The report notes that ISKP`s leadership is predominantly composed of Afghan Pashtuns, while a significant portion of its fighters are nationals of Central Asian countries.

It further states that ISKP maintains opportunistic ties with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and with disaffected members of the Afghan Taliban.

The UN Monitoring Team said that the extent of ISKP`s penetration into Taliban-controlled structures is unclear, but is assessed to be substantial.

Recruitment from Central Asia

According to the report, ISKP has recruited approximately 600 volunteers from Central Asia, mainly from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Some of these individuals have traveled to Afghanistan, others have remained in their home countries, and some have been sent to Europe, the report said.

The Monitoring Team added that many of the recruits are 17- and 18-year-olds, with the oldest being around 40 years old.

It noted that most of these individuals had no prior involvement in terrorist activities and were primarily recruited through online religious groups.

According to the report, ISIS targets individuals through online religious networks, using propaganda techniques to radicalize them and draw them into the group.

The report added that ISIS uses platforms such as WhatsApp to disseminate its messages and attempts to lure young people with religious propaganda in order to reshape their thinking and recruit them.

Recruitment of Children

The UN Monitoring Team also said that ISIS representatives have intensified efforts to recruit locally within Afghan communities.

According to the report, ISIS seeks to establish a network of "sleeper cells" to enhance its operational capabilities and ability to conduct attacks beyond Afghanistan`s borders.

The team reported that in northern Afghanistan and areas near the Pakistan border, ISKP has been brainwashing children in religious schools and has set up suicide-training programs for children around the age of 14.

Previous reports have also indicated that ISIS operates training centers in northern and northeastern Afghanistan, where it attempts to recruit children and adolescents.

The Monitoring Team noted that although the number of ISIS attacks in Afghanistan declined in 2025, the group remains resilient and adaptable.

The report states that the Taliban has failed to fully dismantle ISKP hideouts in northern and eastern Afghanistan.

According to the assessment of UN Security Council member states, the greatest terrorist threat emanating from Afghanistan continues to be ISIS-Khorasan.

The Monitoring Team said ISKP continues to prioritize attacks against Shiites, Taliban officials, and foreign nationals in Afghanistan, while also retaining both the intent and capability to carry out cross-border attacks.

The Taliban denies the presence of ISIS in Afghanistan, claiming the group has been suppressed and has relocated to Pakistan.

However, UN Security Council reports and local sources continue to point to a significant ISIS presence in Afghanistan-a presence that poses a serious threat to the security and stability of Afghanistan, neighboring countries, the wider region, and potentially the world.