Afghanistan Peace CampaignA U.S. Congressman warned that Afghanistan has once again become a safe haven for terrorists, posing a growing threat to regional and global security.
Bill Huizenga, a Republican Representative from Michigan and Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, warned on Thursday that Afghanistan has once again become a “safe haven for terrorist groups.” He described it as a growing threat to South and Central Asia and even beyond.
Speaking at a hearing titled “Assessing the Terrorist Threat Landscape in South and Central Asia and Exploring Opportunities for Cooperation”, Huizenga emphasized that the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan significantly shifted the regional security balance. He blamed the Biden administration’s exit strategy for allowing terrorist networks to regroup under Taliban control.
He specifically expressed concern over the growing activities of groups like ISIS-Khorasan and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Citing Pakistan’s recent surge in violence, he noted a rise in deadly attacks, including the recent assault in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which he saw as evidence of ongoing insurgency in the region.
Huizenga recalled the 2021 ISIS-Khorasan suicide bombing at Kabul airport that killed 13 U.S. service members and 170 civilians. He said one of his own constituents was injured in that attack and warned that the group has since expanded its capabilities and reach, targeting both civilians and Taliban officials.
While acknowledging some recent U.S.-Pakistan counterterrorism cooperation—including the capture and extradition of a key ISIS-K figure involved in the Kabul bombing—Huizenga warned that Pakistan remains unstable. He cited 2024 as one of the most violent years in the country in over a decade, pointing to attacks by TTP and the Balochistan Liberation Army.
Huizenga also referenced a recent deadly attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir that left 26 people dead, mostly tourists, describing it as a deliberate and brutal assault. He warned that such incidents risk sparking wider military confrontations between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan.
He urged a comprehensive review of U.S. counterterrorism tools and stronger regional cooperation. “It is essential,” he said, “to reassess the instruments we have and strengthen partnerships to continue the fight against terrorism.”