France Warns ISIS-K Has Become One Of Islamic State's Most Active Global Branches

Jerome Bonnafont, France's permanent representative to the United Nations and the Security Council's rotating president, delivered the warning during a special council meeting marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. He said ISIS, al-Qaeda and affiliated extremist groups continue expanding their operations despite sustained international counterterrorism efforts.

Bonnafont said terrorist organizations are exploiting instability to establish safe havens across multiple regions, including Afghanistan, the Sahel, the Democratic Republic of Congo, East Africa and parts of the Middle East. He described ISIS-K as one of the most operationally active affiliates within the broader Islamic State network.

The French envoy also warned that extremist groups have adapted their tactics by increasingly using modern technology, including drones, commercial satellite services and artificial intelligence, to plan and execute more sophisticated attacks. He said these organizations are also using advanced propaganda campaigns and new financial technologies to recruit supporters and raise funds.

The United Nations has repeatedly warned that ISIS-K remains capable of inspiring and coordinating attacks outside Afghanistan, even as the Taliban says it has weakened the group's presence inside the country. UN monitoring reports have identified Afghanistan as a continued hub for ISIS-K recruitment, training and operational planning.

ISIS-K, established in Afghanistan in 2015, has claimed responsibility for some of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan over the past decade, targeting civilians, religious minorities and Taliban officials. The group has also demonstrated an expanding international reach through attacks and plots linked to countries beyond Afghanistan.

Among the most significant attacks attributed to ISIS-K was the March 22, 2024 assault on Moscow's Crocus City Hall concert venue, which killed more than 130 people. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, and Western intelligence agencies have linked it to ISIS-K operatives.

France's warning comes as the Security Council continues to assess evolving global terrorist threats ahead of the anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Bonnafont called for stronger international cooperation, intelligence sharing and coordinated action through the United Nations to counter the growing capabilities of ISIS-K and other extremist organizations.

The Taliban has repeatedly insisted that it will not allow Afghanistan territory to be used for attacks against other countries and has said it is combating ISIS-K. However, UN officials and several Western governments continue to express concern over the group's operational capabilities and the broader terrorist threat originating from Afghanistan.

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