WASHINGTON: The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to preventing groups like the Pakistani Taliban from using Afghanistan as a base for launching terrorist attacks against neighboring countries and countering their recruitment efforts.

The statement comes in response to growing concerns over Afghanistan`s deteriorating security situation. A recent UN report revealed that terrorist groups, including the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), are regaining strength and pose a significant threat to regional stability.

During the US State Department`s Thursday briefing, journalists highlighted the UN report, expressing concerns about the growing presence ofterroristgroupsin Afghanistan.

In response, State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel emphasised the US commitment to addressing this threat,stating, `We are cooperating with partners and allies, including in the immediate region; and we`re working vigilantly to prevent the re-emergence of externalthreats from Afghanistan.

The UN report also noted that the TTP is working closely with terrorist groups like Al Qaeda, IS-K, and the Afghan Taliban to recruit and train terrorists at its camps in Afghanistan.

ISIS-K is a South Asian affiliate of the Islamic State terroristgroup.

Mr Patel told the briefing that the US is working with partners to `counteract the TTP`s recruitment efforts,` aiming to disrupt their ability to expand their ranks and pose a greater threat to regional stability.

`IS-K is a transnational terrorist network that has the ambition and capacity to launch international terrorist attacks,` he said.

Reiterating the need to ensure that Afghanistan `never serves as a launching pad for terrorist attacks again,` he added: `We are taking a whole-of-government approach to our Afghanistan counterterrorism efforts.

In New York, Pakistan`s UN Mission stated that it hasraisedtheissue ofthe TTP threat in the Security Council during briefings on Afghanistan and during private consultations.

`There is a continuous and ongoing process of engagement by countries including Pakistan with UN entities from time to time to highlight our concerns and provide inputs on this issue,` the statement added.

In May this year, the United States and Pakistan agreed to intensify their collaboration in the fight against terrorist organisations like the TTP and IS-K.

In a joint statement, they also acknowledged that `a partnership to counter IS-K, TTP, and other terrorist organisations will advance security in the region and serve as a model of bilateral and regional cooperation to address transnational terrorism threats.