Islamabad: The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad has issued a security alert, warning American citizens to avoid the Faisal Mosque due to potential terrorist threats.
The advisory was released on Wednesday after a video circulated on social media earlier this week, showing an alleged militant inside the iconic mosque. Faisal Mosque is a well-known tourist attraction in the Pakistani capital.
In the video, an individual is seen holding a pamphlet bearing the flag of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group designated as a global terrorist organization by the United Nations. The footage was reportedly shared on social media platforms associated with TTP on Monday.
As a precautionary measure, the U.S. Embassy has instructed its staff to refrain from visiting Faisal Mosque until further notice. The statement urged American citizens to steer clear of the area, emphasizing that TTP militants have issued threats against the mosque.
The warning comes on the same day as the visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Islamabad.
TTP is known for carrying out attacks primarily targeting Pakistan’s security forces and other establishments, resulting in hundreds of casualties over the years.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the TTP of operating from sanctuaries in Afghanistan, alleging that the group orchestrates attacks from across the border, urging the Afghan Taliban to take action against TTP.
However, the Taliban government in Afghanistan, which remains unrecognized internationally, has denied the presence of TTP or any other global terrorist organizations on Afghan soil. The Taliban claim they do not allow any group to use Afghanistan as a base for attacks against other nations.
Critics, however, dispute the Taliban’s claims, pointing to continued attacks carried out by ISIS-K (Islamic State Khorasan Province). ISIS-K has been responsible for numerous deadly attacks, including targeting Taliban officials.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, ISIS-K has intensified its operations. On Monday, UN counterterrorism officials warned the Security Council about the growing threat posed by ISIS affiliates.
Vladimir Voronkov, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, stated: "ISIS-K remains a significant threat in Afghanistan, the region, and beyond."
On Tuesday, a suicide bombing occurred outside a Kabul Bank branch in Kunduz, Afghanistan, killing at least five people and injuring seven, according to Taliban officials. Reports suggest that most of the victims were Taliban members. ISIS-K later claimed responsibility for the attack.
Since 2021, ISIS-K has been behind most major attacks in Afghanistan, often targeting Taliban officials and Shia Muslim communities. The Taliban insist they have largely dismantled the group’s network.
The security situation in the region remains volatile, with both Pakistan and Afghanistan facing persistent threats from terrorist groups operating within and across their borders.
