Participants at an event held at the UN to discuss the situation in Afghanistan voiced concerns about the presence of terrorism in Afghanistan.

The event was held on Thursday, and involved the Permanent Missions of Afghanistan, Canada and Spain, jointly with the Afghanistan Policy Lab of the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) and the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ) attended.

The event was titled “Tackling the Multiplicity of Security Challenges in Taliban-run Afghanistan and Neighboring Countries: Terrorism, Organized Crime, Human Rights and Humanitarian Assistance.”

“The growing concern regarding the presence of more than 20 terrorist groups and foreign terrorist fighters in Afghanistan—the relocation of TTP or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan to northern provinces of Afghanistan and the ensuing security threats and challenges posed to the world, region and Afghanistan, and it alarms that Afghanistan is becoming once again a terrorist hub despite the Taliban persistent denial,” said Naseer Ahmad Faiq, the Chargé d'Affaires of Afghanistan's Permanent Mission to the UN.

Ana Jiménez de la Hoz, deputy Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Spain to the United Nations said that in “no case” should Afghanistan become a base for terrorist groups.

“Terrorism can have a very damaging spillover affect in the region, so we already as Spain as European Union (will) enhance our counter terrorism measures in this regard,” she said.

The Islamic Emirate meanwhile once again denied the presence of terrorists groups in Afghanistan and said there is overall security and pledged efforts to counter terrorism.

“The concern exists in this regard. Our strategy is to not allow Afghan soil to be used against others but rather focus on economic cooperation and stability and peace here,” said Zabiullah Mujahid, the Islamic Emirate’s spokesman.

In April this year, a joint statement of the participants of the 37th meeting of the Working Group on Afghanistan at the CSTO Ministerial Council said that they “noted the persistence of unfavorable trends in the security situation, including the growth of terrorist and drug threats emanating from the territory of this country.”