Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, former Director General of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) under Afghanistan’s former republican government, has said that the Taliban’s legitimacy crisis and its failure to honour commitments have turned Afghanistan into a major arena for regional intelligence rivalries.
Speaking at a webinar on Afghanistan’s situation, Stanekzai highlighted the influence of regional and international powers, noting that shifts in US strategy, the expansion of security activities by Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and rivalry between India and Pakistan are directly affecting developments in Afghanistan.
He stressed that the convergence of these factors has turned Afghanistan into a key crossroads for regional intelligence competition.
The webinar was held to examine visits by Turkish and Qatari intelligence and security officials to Kabul and Kandahar.
Meanwhile, critics of the Taliban warn that the group’s lack of legitimacy could turn Afghanistan into a battleground for proxy rivalries among foreign intelligence agencies. The Taliban, however, maintain that they pursue an independent and balanced foreign policy.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
