Support for the Afghan Taliban will damage their country’s diplomatic standing. This time, not a single Muslim country condemned the airstrikes carried out by Pakistan, nor did any issue a statement. Among non-Muslim countries, apart from India, no state either supported or condemned the action. Today, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially released a report detailing how many foreign terrorists are present in Afghanistan and how many Afghans are preparing to fight. Within the Taliban government, apart from the Kandahari group, no other faction issued a statement condemning Pakistan.
According to the report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the largest terrorist groups active in Afghanistan are ISIS-K with approximately 3,000 members; Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) with 5,000 to 7,000 members; Al-Qaeda with 400 to 1,500 members; the East Turkestan Islamic Movement with 300 to 1,200 members; Turkistan Islamic Party with 150 to 500 members; and Jamaat Ansarullah with 150 to 250 members. The report, citing the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), states that in 2025 the area under poppy cultivation decreased by 20 percent compared to 2024, falling from 12,800 hectares to 10,200 hectares.
The Afghan Taliban are also allegedly misrepresenting civilian casualties. It is claimed that in District Behsud alone, at least 18 civilians, including women and children, were killed. However, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), credible reports following Pakistani airstrikes indicate that at least 13 civilians were killed and seven injured. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated that they have firmly told the TTP that Afghan soil will not be allowed to be used against others, and they have also told the Pakistani side that no one will be permitted to use Afghan territory for hostile purposes.
Pakistan carried out strikes twice against terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan and maintained silence afterward, subsequently engaging in diplomacy to brief all countries. In Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Tajikistan, the Afghan Taliban had to step back and were unable to respond to the evidence provided by Pakistan. In Saudi Arabia, they requested time, but during that period, instead of fulfilling his promises, the Afghan Supreme Leader allegedly prepared new militants and tightened control within his cabinet. Rather than distributing power equally among four groups in the government, he favored the Kandahari group, which deepened internal differences. Neither the Haqqani, Tajik, nor Uzbek groups issued statements against the airstrike on the training center. It is suggested that they too want the Afghan Supreme Leader to be brought to reason, as the image of Afghanistan they wish to present is being undermined by his actions.
Writer: Farhan Malik
Note: The views expressed by the blogger are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of the publication. — Editor
