Security risks emanating from Afghanistan : assessing the Islamist terror threat post-August 2021

The Taliban takeover in August 2021 has had destabilising repercussions beyond the borders of Afghanistan, altering regional dynamics and impacting the Taliban's own external relationships with bordering countries. Security risks are posed not only by the Taliban itself but also by Islamist terrorist groups operating under effective Taliban protection, as well as by the growing threat represented by the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM). The EU needs to focus on the increasing security risks that these developments represent for neighbouring states - in particular the Central Asian Republics - and consider stepping up its counterterrorism engagement in Central Asia. The security challenges in the region call for a targeted response, whereby EU Member States pool resources and enhance cooperation, rather than leaving it to each Member State to deal with the threat on a national level.