UN Monitoring Finds al-Qaeda Still Active 25 Years After 9/11

A UN monitoring report released ahead of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks finds al-Qaeda maintains a persistent presence in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, with decentralized networks across Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The alleged mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, remains untried after decades in detention. The findings underscore the enduring security threat to neighbouring states and Europe.

Bottom line — Al-Qaeda has a larger territorial presence across three continents than at any point since its founding, per analyst Alex Mishra.

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• The UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team reported on August 10 that al-Qaeda’s status and strength in Afghanistan remained unchanged, per the Jerusalem Post.
• Al-Qaeda provided ideological guidance, training and support to Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in its insurgency against Pakistan, according to the UN report.
• AQIS (al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent) has evolved from a fragmented group into a regional terrorist entity with logistical networks operating through decentralized cells, the UN assessment found.
• AQIS leaders remain in Kabul and have been issued Afghan identity documents, suggesting close cooperation between the Taliban and AQIS, per the UN.
• Analyst Alex Mishra told The Media Line that the group’s lower profile should not be mistaken for disappearance, while former Pakistani diplomat Asif Durrani described al-Qaeda as having 'lost its teeth and appeal', with ISIS now the more prominent threat.
• Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s trial before a military judge is scheduled to begin June 5, 2028, nearly 27 years after the attacks, after prosecutors declined to appeal a ruling excluding statements made under CIA interrogation.
• Brussels-based activist Andy Vermaut called the inability to try Mohammed 'one of the most serious failures of the post-9/11 system', arguing torture undermined the prosecution.
• Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid rejected Afghan responsibility for the attacks and denied harboring foreign armed groups, calling warnings of safe havens foreign propaganda.
• The attacks prompted the first and only invocation of NATO Article 5, leading to the US-led invasion of Afghanistan and the broader war on terror.

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