Al-Qaeda Resumes Afghanistan Training Camps 25 Years After 9/11
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 12
Al-Qaeda Resumes Afghanistan Training Camps 25 Years After 9/11
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 12
Summary
U.S. and Western intelligence officials say al-Qaeda is again operating training camps in Afghanistan, marking a renewed foothold 25 years after the Sept. 11 attacks.
The assessment is backed by a United Nations body that monitors terrorist networks, indicating the finding extends beyond a single government’s reporting.
Those camps echo the mud-walled Afghan compounds where al-Qaeda developed plans for the 2001 attacks, despite decades of U.S. military and counterterrorism efforts meant to eliminate them.
The revival underscores how Afghanistan remains a base for jihadist regrouping a quarter-century after 9/11.
With al-Qaeda rebuilding in Afghan camps, is the world ignoring their deadlier, AI-driven digital networks operating in the shadows?
Are these new Afghan training camps a real global threat, or just a symbolic decoy masking al-Qaeda's true African stronghold?
As bin Laden's heirs return to historical compounds, can over-the-horizon strikes truly prevent another global tragedy without ground intelligence?
Al-Qaeda’s 2026 Rebuild in Afghanistan: The Taliban Alliance, Regional Militant Coalitions, and the New Global Threat
Overview
After the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, Al-Qaeda rebuilt its presence, turning the country into a safe haven for terrorist operations. The Taliban administration supported Al-Qaeda by providing official documents, which allowed operatives to move more freely. The withdrawal of US and NATO forces left behind billions in advanced weaponry, which spread through black markets and was adopted by groups like the TTP and BLA, increasing violence and casualties in the region. Meanwhile, Western intelligence suffered a severe decline, leaving the international community vulnerable to surprises as Al-Qaeda quietly strengthened its networks and capabilities.