Tashkent, Uzbekistan – 13 September 2024. On 4-5 September 2024, Tashkent became the focal point for two critical regional security dialogues: the 10th International Conference of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (RATS SCO) and the 2nd Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Conference on Combating Terrorism and Extremism. These high-level gatherings brought together leading experts, security officials, and policymakers from member states to address escalating security challenges in the region, with a particular focus on Afghanistan.
During the conferences, Chairman of the State Security Service of Uzbekistan, Abdusalom Azizov, underscored the urgent need for collaboration with Afghanistan in its ongoing struggle against the Khorasan Province, an affiliate of the Islamic State in Afghanistan notorious for its transnational extremist operations. This statement implicitly conveyed a recognition that the Taliban has yet to establish comprehensive control over the country’s security apparatus, signalling an enduring vulnerability within Afghan borders.
Reflecting on this during an interview broadcast by Kun.uz, Hamza Boltaev, Head of the Centre for Afghanistan and South Asian Studies at IAIS, highlighted the complexities surrounding security cooperation with Afghanistan under the current Taliban leadership. According to him, formal recognition of the Taliban’s authority remains a prerequisite for any substantial collaboration on counterterrorism measures. In the absence of official diplomatic ties, interactions between Afghanistan and its regional neighbours have been confined to dialogue, with no tangible outcomes or concerted follow-up actions. The expert further elaborated, noting that discussions on security are no longer optional but a pressing necessity driven by the evolving geopolitical landscape. In his words, “talking about security is a requirement of the time”, reinforcing the need for immediate and coordinated responses to the threats posed by extremist factions like the Khorasan Province.
