Terrorism and Counterterrorism in the Taliban’s Afghanistan

This article focuses on terrorist groups and efforts to counter them in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover of the country in August 2021. It begins with a brief overview of the most significant international and regional terrorist groups in the country and where these groups stood when the Taliban came to power. It then discusses the efforts of the United States, Pakistan, and the Taliban to counter (or not) those terrorist groups. Specific attention is paid to real or potential cooperation between these efforts. The chapter ends with a discussion of trendlines of the past three years and what those trends may portend for the future, as well as suggestions for improving the ability to counter terrorist threats from Afghanistan.