The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) on Tuesday issued a report by the Senior Study Group on Counterterrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan and highlighted the urgent need to recalibrate the US counterterrorism strategy amid growing strategic competition with China and the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan.

The USIP report argues that counterterrorism should not be perceived as a distraction from strategic competition but rather as a crucial component in protecting the strategic agenda.

Terrorist groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan still possess the intent and growing capability to target the US and its interests, the report noted, adding that a successful terrorist attack would not only result in tragic loss of lives but also divert resources and attention from strategic competition, undermining America’s credibility and alliances.

In addition, the report stated terrorist attacks originating from the region could spark dangerous regional crises, particularly between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed states.

It also stated that the US withdrawal from Afghanistan has emboldened terrorist groups, providing them with opportunities to regroup and collaborate.

ISIS-K (Daesh), for instance, presents a growing threat with a reach beyond the immediate region, while the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has re-emerged as a significant regional security threat, the report read.

The USIP study group meanwhile suggested the Islamic Emirate need to be pressurized “to mitigate terrorist threats while maintaining communication channels for counterterrorism exchanges rather than adopting a cooperative approach with open-ended incentives or a pressure campaign that isolates the Taliban (IEA) entirely.”

The report also suggests increasing military and intelligence resources dedicated to counterterrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This includes improving intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities and expanding the US Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program.

The report also emphasizes the need for greater transparency in legal authorities for counterterrorism operations, ensuring actions are justified and minimizing civilian harm. This involves targeting terrorist groups planning attacks against the US and employing cyber operations to disrupt their communications.

Another suggestion was the need for enhanced counterterrorism-specific security assistance and intelligence to Pakistan.

This assistance aims to “reduce the TTP’s threat as well as to obtain Pakistani assistance on top US counterterrorism concerns, secure long-term airspace access for operations in Afghanistan, and leverage reliable access in Pakistan in the event of a terrorist attack contingency.”

The report also highlights the importance of improving preparedness for terrorist attacks in the US homeland and abroad, especially in South Asia. This includes enhancing intelligence collection and analysis, providing travel warnings, and securing emergency military operations bases in Central Asia and Pakistan.