The unchecked rise of cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghanistan has become a pressing concern for Pakistan and the broader region. Recent incidents along the Durand Line, including armed incursions, improvised explosive device (IED) attacks, and the kidnapping of Pakistani security forces, expose the Taliban’s glaring failure to maintain control over Afghan territory. These developments not only undermine regional stability but also signal the dangerous potential of Afghanistan becoming a hub for extremism once again.

In this context, the statement from US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, acknowledging the threat posed by terror bases in Afghanistan, is a significant endorsement of Pakistan’s long-standing concerns. For years, Islamabad has warned the international community about the operational capacity of militant groups thriving under the Taliban’s watch. The US’s recognition of this issue affirms the validity of these concerns and dismantles the illusion that Pakistan’s warnings were overstated.

The Taliban’s takeover in August 2021 came with promises of peace and stability, but the reality on the ground tells a starkly different story. The resurgence of groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) has cast a long shadow over Afghanistan’s purported stability. Despite repeated assurances, the Taliban’s inability to neutralize these factions exposes critical vulnerabilities in........

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