NEW YORK (Web Desk) – Denmark’s Deputy Permanent Representative Sandra Jensen Landi has declared the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) a serious threat in Central and South Asia and said that it has been receiving support from the regime.
As chair of the Security Council’s ISIL (Daesh) and Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee, Denmark highlighted these concerns during a briefing to the UN Security Council meeting held here on Wednesday.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities have persisted over the presence of TTP militants on Afghan soil. Since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, Islamabad has accused them of sheltering thousands of TTP fighters who have stepped up attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Landi warned that the TTP — estimated to have around 6,000 fighters — poses a serious regional threat and benefits from “logistical and substantial support” from Afghanistan’s de facto rulers. She noted that the group has carried out numerous high-profile attacks in Pakistan from Afghan territory, many resulting in mass casualties.
She also presented the latest assessment of global terrorist networks, stating that ISIL (Daesh), Al-Qaeda and their affiliates remain active and geographically dispersed, with the highest intensity of attacks now seen in Africa. She said these groups continue to expand their propaganda on social media and increasingly use cryptocurrencies, complicating sanctions enforcement.
She highlighted ISIL’s shift toward Africa and described ISIL-Khorasan as one of the most significant threats in Central and South Asia, with around 2,000 fighters targeting Shia communities, Afghan authorities and foreign nationals.
According to Landi, foreign fighter movements remain a concern, while Al-Qaeda’s central leadership is weakened but its affiliates — particularly in the Sahel — continue to exploit local instability. She stressed the need for strong multilateral cooperation under the 1267 sanctions regime.
Pakistan’s Jadoon calls for addressing root cause of terrorism
Pakistan’s Deputy Permanent Representative Usman Jadoon, speaking after Landi, said the global terrorism landscape is evolving amid rapid technological change, while the root causes of terrorism remain unresolved. He noted Pakistan’s heavy sacrifices in counterterrorism efforts, including more than 80,000 deaths and major economic losses, and said Al-Qaeda was largely dismantled due to Pakistan’s operations.
Jadoon said groups such as ISIL-K, the TTP, BLA and the Majeed Brigade are thriving in Afghanistan with external backing. He urged that the 1267 regime reflect current realities and that listings be handled fairly and without political bias. He added that the UN must also be equipped to designate violent far-right, ultranationalist and Islamophobic groups under its counterterrorism framework.
