Muhammad Amanullah | August 13, 2026
The True Post (News Desk) — A new report by the United Nations Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team says continued support from the Afghan Taliban for the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has contributed to an increase in the number and lethality of terrorist attacks in Pakistan.
The report also highlights growing links among several militant organizations operating from Afghanistan, including shared networks for training, facilitation and logistics.
The UN’s 38th report identifies increasing operational ties among the TTP, al-Qaeda, Islamic State Khorasan (ISIL-K) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as a significant security threat to the region.
Increase in Cross-Border Attacks
The report examines developments from December 16, 2025, to June 9, 2026.
According to the United Nations, cross-border attacks between Pakistan and Afghanistan increased during this period, with the TTP’s growing campaign against Pakistan identified as one of the major factors.
The report says the Taliban’s de facto authorities have continued to provide support to the TTP, contributing to an increase in attacks against Pakistan and, at times, direct clashes between the armed forces of the two countries.
Taliban Strategy Toward the TTP
According to the report, Taliban authorities took some initial steps to restrict the TTP, but those measures appeared aimed at controlling and managing the group rather than dismantling its underlying infrastructure.
Afghan authorities reportedly relocated around 2,000 TTP fighters and their families from areas near the Pakistani border to locations deeper inside Afghanistan.
The move was reportedly intended to distance the group from the border and reduce the possibility of a major confrontation with Pakistan.
The report also says Taliban Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada privately communicated with TTP leadership and instructed the group to halt attacks against Pakistan, warning that continued violations could result in the TTP losing Taliban support.
TTP Expands Its Organizational Structure
The UN report says the TTP has also expanded its organizational structure and operational activities.
Following an annual leadership council meeting in December, the group reportedly made changes to its organizational structure and established two new divisions.
One division was reportedly created for Balochistan and central areas, while another was established for Kashmir and Gilgit.
The TTP also reportedly established a new organizational branch called the “TTP Air Force,” which the report describes as an indication of the group’s efforts to expand its operational capabilities.
TTP Announces “Operation Khyber”
In March, the TTP announced its spring campaign, “Operation Khyber,” in multiple languages.
The campaign called for an increase in attacks against Pakistani security forces and civilians.
One of the deadliest attacks mentioned in the reporting period occurred on February 16 in Bajaur, where an improvised explosive device planted in a vehicle killed 11 security personnel and a child and injured several others.
The TTP claimed responsibility for the attack, which the report says was carried out from Afghanistan.
Growing Links With al-Qaeda
The report also identifies close ties between the TTP and al-Qaeda.
According to the United Nations, al-Qaeda’s media arm, as-Sahab Media Foundation, issued a statement on April 28 supporting the Taliban and, for the first time, expressed support for the TTP’s operations against Pakistan.
The report says al-Qaeda has historically provided the TTP with ideological guidance, training and other forms of assistance.
However, the latest statement is described as a sign of more direct al-Qaeda support for the TTP.
BLA Fighters Reportedly Trained in Afghanistan
The report cites information provided by a member state alleging that BLA fighters received training in Afghanistan from al-Qaeda trainers alongside TTP fighters.
According to the report, al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has also become an important component of the militant network operating in the region.
A group called Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, reportedly operating under AQIS influence, has been involved in several attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The United Nations also says AQIS leadership has remained in Kabul, where members have reportedly been provided with necessary documentation, indicating close cooperation between the Taliban authorities and the organization.
ISIL-K Remains a Major Threat
The report identifies Islamic State Khorasan (ISIL-K) as one of the most serious threats to the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan and to regional security.
Although counterterrorism operations by the Taliban and Pakistan have inflicted significant losses on ISIL-K, the organization has adapted its strategy and begun efforts to reorganize.
According to the report, ISIL-K has shifted parts of its operational structure toward northern Afghanistan while dispersing its training network along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The group has also maintained a presence in areas around Kabul.
Shift in Attack Strategy
The United Nations says ISIL-K has shifted away from attempts to seize and hold territory and is instead focusing on fewer but highly visible attacks capable of causing large numbers of casualties.
Member states reportedly assess that the group has access to advanced equipment, including drones, night-vision devices and thermal imaging equipment.
The report also says ISIL-K fighters have received training in urban combat and the use of drones.
Islamabad Mosque Attack
The report also refers to the suicide bombing at Masjid Khadija-tul-Kubra in Islamabad on February 6 during Friday prayers.
The attack killed 32 people and injured more than 150 others.
The attack was claimed by a group that identified itself as Islamic State in Pakistan. However, according to the UN report, ISIL-K was likely behind the attack.
ISIL-K also claimed responsibility on May 5 for the killing of Pakistani religious scholar Sheikh Muhammad Idris in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Shared Facilitation Networks
The report, citing information provided by a member state, says ISIL-K and the BLA have in some cases used shared logistics and facilitation networks.
Although ISIL-K attacks in Afghanistan have declined, the group’s activities in Pakistan have increased.
The development suggests that the terrorism threat between Afghanistan and Pakistan is no longer limited to a single organization. Connections and shared support networks among different militant groups have made the security environment increasingly complex.
Growing Regional Security Threat
Overall, the UN report presents a complex picture of the terrorist threat facing Pakistan from Afghanistan.
According to the report, the TTP receives ideological and logistical support from the Taliban, while al-Qaeda provides training and ideological backing.
At the same time, ISIL-K and the BLA appear to benefit from interconnected facilitation and logistical networks.
The report also highlights concerns among UN member states that continuing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan could create additional opportunities for terrorist organizations and generate new security challenges across the region.
The United Nations concludes that simply relocating militants from one area to another will not be sufficient. Addressing the command structures, training systems, financial support and logistical infrastructure of terrorist organizations will also be necessary to reduce the threat.
