Published: August 27, 2025
This report is intended to supplement the U.S. Department of State Afghanistan Travel Advisory and Afghanistan Country Information Page.
Embassy & Consulate Contact Information
While the U.S. government has withdrawn its personnel from Kabul, U.S. citizens in Afghanistan in need of routine consular services can contact any U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance. To locate the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate please visit www.usembassy.gov. U.S. citizens who are in Afghanistan and are seeking U.S. government assistance to depart should email complete biographic details and contact information (email and phone number) as well as your US Passport number to AfghanistanACS@state.gov. Consult Afghanistan Inquiries for further guidance.
OSAC Country Chapters
The Afghanistan Affairs Unit (in Doha, Qatar) has revitalized the OSAC Kabul Country Chapter with virtual meetings.
Contact OSAC’s Asia team with any questions.
Afghanistan Travel Advisory
The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses that travelers should not travel to the country due to civil unrest, crime, terrorism, risk of wrongful detention, kidnapping, and limited health facilities.
Travel to all areas of Afghanistan is unsafe. There is no U.S. Embassy presence in Afghanistan and consular services are not available. The Department of State assesses the risk of kidnapping or violence against U.S. citizens in Afghanistan is very high. Given the serious risks, U.S. citizens should not travel to Afghanistan even to accompany eligible family members for relocation.
Multiple terrorist groups are active in Afghanistan and U.S. citizens are targets of kidnapping and hostage-taking. The Taliban have harassed and detained aid and humanitarian workers. The activities of foreigners will likely be under severe scrutiny and may be viewed with suspicion, and reasons for detention may be unclear. Even if you are registered with the appropriate authorities to conduct business, the risk of detention is high.
The Department has determined there is a risk of wrongful detention of U.S. nationals in Afghanistan. Additionally, Afghan-U.S. citizens and U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) who previously supported the United States (for example, as an interpreter) in Afghanistan may be targeted for detention.
The Taliban do not regularly permit the United States to conduct welfare checks on U.S. citizens in detention, including by phone. Detention can be lengthy. While in detention, U.S. citizens have limited or no access to medical attention and may be subject to physical abuse.
U.S. citizens should not travel to Afghanistan for any reason, including to accompany eligible family members for relocation. U.S. citizens or LPRs do not have to be physically present in Afghanistan for their qualifying family members to receive such assistance. For further information on how to assist your family members with the immigrant visa application process or to request relocation assistance for family, please refer to our website.
Remaining U.S. citizens in Afghanistan are urged to depart immediately via commercial means if possible. U.S. citizens who are seeking U.S. government assistance to depart should email complete biographic details and contact information (email and phone number), as well as U.S. passport number, to AfghanistanACS@state.gov.
Very basic medical care is available in major Afghan cities such as Kabul but is limited in rural areas. Emergency medical capabilities and treatment of serious diseases are limited across the country.
Crime
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Kabul as being a CRITICAL-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has included a Crime “C” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Afghanistan, indicating that there may be widespread violent crime and/or organized crime present in the country, and/or that local law enforcement may have limited ability to respond to serious crimes.
The crime emergency line in Afghanistan is 119.
Criminal organizations, including weapons and narcotics traffickers, undermine peace and stability throughout the country. Common petty or street crime exists, primarily in cities. Transient populations and internally displaced peoples may contribute to crime and lawlessness. Lack of key infrastructure, government services, and limited emergency health facilities contribute to making Afghanistan an exceptionally dangerous country. The security situation remains unstable. Insurgents routinely plot high-profile attacks against official international and private-sector institutions and personnel.
Criminal activity is widespread and includes the operation of several terrorist organizations and organized criminal syndicates. Transnational organized crime, particularly narcotics trafficking, remains a serious problem. Criminal activity consists mostly of lower-level street crimes (e.g., robbery, theft, assault). Criminals typically work in groups and are known to use deadly force against victims. All foreigners and Afghans associated with foreigners are potential targets (e.g., NGO employees, clergy, local medical staff, aid/rehabilitation workers).
If in Afghanistan, Americans should appropriately secure and fortify housing accommodations with barriers and vetted armed guards. They should maintain a low profile. When possible, they should conduct travel in armored vehicles with the doors locked and strongly consider back-up communication systems (radios), personnel tracking, and locator devices. Americans in Afghanistan should file a travel plan with someone you trust that includes where they are traveling, routes they intend to use, and times of the travel, to include waypoints for check-in. If planning to travel to Afghanistan, or already residing there, they should register with the Embassy through the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive the latest travel updates and information, and to obtain updated information on travel and security issues. In major cities or populated areas, travelers should avoid public markets, crowded areas, demonstrations, or bazaars. Crime against foreigners is likely due to widespread hunger and severe economic strain across the country.
Kidnapping Threat
The U.S. Department of State has included a Kidnapping “K” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Afghanistan, indicating that criminal or terrorist individuals or groups have threatened to and/or have seized or detained and threatened to kill, injure, or continue to detain individuals in order to compel a third party (including a governmental organization) to do or abstain from doing something as a condition of release.
Violent extremist groups and kidnapping syndicates are actively targeting foreign nationals, specifically U.S. citizens, in Afghanistan, including journalists, aid workers, teachers, medical professionals, and individuals associated with international and non-governmental organizations. Criminal groups in Afghanistan will target any individual perceived to have money for kidnapping and/or extortion. Kidnap-for-ransom syndicates may also sell their captives to terrorist groups, with victims potentially spending years in captivity. Additionally, the threat of wrongful detention remains high as U.S. citizens have been detained and held for indefinite periods in Afghanistan under unclear or unjust circumstances.
Organizations should obtain as much voluntary information from their personnel as possible (e.g., biographic data, photographs, cell phone data such as IMEI and SIM card numbers). Notarized letters from the individuals authorizing their next of kin to use that collected data are necessary to ensure no delay in response in the event of a kidnapping.
All individuals in Afghanistan should consider maintaining kidnapping insurance.
Terrorism
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Kabul as being a CRITICAL-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. The U.S. Department of State has included a Terrorism “T” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Afghanistan, indicating that terrorist attacks have occurred and/or specific threats against civilians, groups, or other targets may exist.
Decades of disorder and warfare have made Afghanistan fertile territory for international terrorism. U.S. citizens and other foreign nationals are primary targets of terrorist organizations. Extremist groups across Afghanistan continue to utilize a variety of tactics to expand their territorial influence, disrupt governance, and create a public perception of instability. Such tactics include the use of attackers laden with suicide vests, vehicle-borne explosive devices, magnetic explosive devices, indirect fire (rockets and mortars), and direct fire (shootings and rocket propelled grenades). Military and security personnel, Afghan government buildings, foreign embassies, non-government organization offices, and soft targets, such as hotels, markets, schools, hospitals, and public gatherings, are common attack targets. Kabul has been and remains a high-profile location for large-scale insurgent attacks, as successful operations in the capital tend to generate media coverage. U.S. citizens in Afghanistan should familiarize themselves with their residential compound or hotel’s emergency planning and rehearse the steps they would take if the venue were to come under attack.
The threat of terrorism to individuals in major cities and traveling in rural areas is extremely high due to the absence of an effective Taliban security strategy and an unstable security environment overall. Al’Qa’ida, the Haqqani Network, ISIS-Khorasan Province, and several other terror groups remain active in Afghanistan, as well as East Turkistan Islamic Movement, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Islamic Jihad Group, Khatiba Imam al-Bukhari, Khatiba al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, Jamaat Ansarullah and others. These groups are responsible for many deadly attacks and enjoy greater freedom of movement in Afghanistan. These groups have the capability to manufacture and employ suicide vests, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and vehicle-borne IEDs (VBIEDs), as well as conduct complex attacks and assassinations. The risk of direct fire, IEDs, and indirect fire attacks (primarily rockets) remains very high. They often target unprotected or vulnerable targets, such as:
- High-profile public events (sporting contests, political rallies, demonstrations, holiday events, celebratory gatherings, etc.)
- Hotels, clubs, and restaurants frequented by tourists
- Shopping malls and markets
- Public transportation systems (including subways, buses, trains, and scheduled commercial flights)
After the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, Western individuals and Afghans associated with the U.S. and/or NATO governments are at critical risk of becoming targets for terror groups and/or the Taliban. Former Afghan government officials and affiliates are at particularly high risk for targeting by the Taliban-led government. Since late 2020, insurgents increasingly conducted targeted assassinations of Afghan security forces, journalists, and other members of civil society, as well as civilian government officials and their family members. Despite this apparent shift in targeting criteria, the active militant groups in Afghanistan maintain a strong anti-Western bias, which places all Western personnel and installations at risk in Kabul and throughout Afghanistan.
Western individuals and personnel associated with NGOs, foreign partners associated with Western countries, and members of minority groups are at particular risk for surveillance and becoming targets of violence from Taliban members and non-state actors. Magnetically attached IEDs remain the weapon of choice for targeted assassinations.
According to the UN Security Council Monitoring Team’s thirty-first report, ISIS-K’s main objective is to portray the Taliban as incapable of providing security in the country. By targeting diplomatic missions, ISIS-K seeks to undermine the relationship between the Taliban and neighboring countries. Apart from high-profile attacks, ISIS-K conducts low-level attacks almost daily, causing fear in local communities, targeting Shia minorities to undermine Taliban Pashtun authority and challenging nascent security agencies.
Core ISIS-K cells are located primarily in the eastern Kunar, Nangarhar and Nuristan Provinces of Afghanistan, with a large cell active in Kabul and its environs. Smaller groups had been detected in the northern and north-eastern Badakhshan, Faryab, Jowzjan, Kunduz, Takhar and Balkh Provinces. Most estimations of current ISIS-K strength attribute between 1,000 to 3,000 fighters to the group, with approximately 200 of Central Asian origin. ISIS-K is most likely to focus its efforts on conducting high-impact, sophisticated attacks rather than frequent, small-arms attacks. Checkpoints outside of hotels, foreign ministries, security and government institutions, and crowded areas are common locations of detonations.
Insurgent groups, such as the National Resistance Front and Afghan Freedom Front, exploit targets of opportunity when available or combine multiple tactics to attack a fixed location in a complex attack after extended periods of surveillance. The group has conducted small-scale attacks and targeted assassinations with small- and medium-arms fire to delegitimize Taliban rule. Their most common targets are Taliban Security Forces at static checkpoints and the homes and workplaces of security forces’ local and regional leadership.
On March 3, 2024, employees of the Russian Embassy in Kabul found a bomb near the entrance door of the embassy. The type of explosive device found is unknown as Taliban officials have not provided details surrounding this incident. Additionally, it is unknown who or what the target of the explosive device was: the Russian Embassy, employees of the embassy, or visitors to the Russian Embassy. A possible target of the explosive device was the publicly reported high-profile meeting between Taliban Minister of Interior Siraj Haqqani and Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov on March 5, 2024. A Taliban EOD team deactivated the bomb on March 3, 2024. No one and no group has claimed responsibility for the bomb. No one was harmed in this incident. Two days later, in Badakhshan, a blast shook a Taliban military base near the airport in Faizabad, the capital of Afghanistan's northeastern Badakhshan province, but without causing casualties, officials said Tuesday. A roadside IED targeting a Taliban pickup exploded near the base but no one was killed or wounded, Badakhshan police spokesman Ehsanullah Kamgar told AFP.
Later, on March 21, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide attack at a bank in Kandahar, killing at least 21 people and injuring 50 others. Three days later on March 24, in the Mullah Sardar Area of Kunduz City in Kunduz Province, an unidentified person, suspected of affiliation with ISKP, shot and killed a Taliban official at a Check Point and fled the scene. The following day, in Kunar Province’s Chawkay District, ISKP claimed responsibility for the detonation of an IED targeting a Taliban vehicle. The detonation of the IED resulted in injuries to one Talib and damage to the Taliban vehicle according to the statement released by ISKP on social media.
Despite the announcement by the United States of the killing of al’Qaida emir Ayman Mohammed al-Zawahiri, ties between al’Qaida and the Taliban remain close, as underscored by the regional presence of al’Qaida core leadership and affiliated groups, such as al’Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent. It is expected that al’Qaida remain in Afghanistan for the near future.
Several reports claim that the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan has emboldened and enabled Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to escalate attacks against Pakistani security forces. TTP has consolidated its presence in eastern Afghanistan on the border with Pakistan’s former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). As such, American citizens in this region do not necessarily face a threat from TTP, but rather being caught in the crossfire of TTP engagements.
Political Violence and Civil Unrest
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Kabul as being a CRITICAL-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. The U.S. Department of State has included a Civil Unrest “U” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Afghanistan, indicating that demonstrations, protests, and/or strikes occur frequently, and/or that local law enforcement may have limited ability to respond adequately. Civil unrest can develop quickly without prior notice, often interrupting logistics and services. Avoid demonstration activity, as even those planned to remain peaceful have the potential to turn violent.
Elections/Political Stability
Political stability is extremely low in Afghanistan. The Taliban is highly unlikely to hold free and fair elections, unlikely to expand civil liberties and representation significantly, and is currently facing threats to the fundamental stability of the country, including widespread hunger and economic disaster. Afghanistan’s financial system and health system are in jeopardy, and major cities are vulnerable to attacks from terror groups.
Political violence includes targeted attacks against former Afghan government affiliates, places of worship for minorities, official facilities, and hotels and guesthouses where foreigners may reside. Before taking control of Kabul in August 2021, the Taliban openly intimidated and harassed Afghan civilians leading up to elections, contributing to low voter turnout. During the September 2019 election, even with a historically low voter turnout, more than 250 civilian casualties occurred on polling day. Internal power struggles are likely to be a major factor in civil unrest during the beginning of Taliban rule.
Protests & Demonstrations
Spontaneous and potentially dangerous demonstrations may occur, though they are infrequent. After its rise to power, the Taliban showed willingness to suppress demonstrations swiftly and severely. Participating in, or even proximity to, a demonstration is not safe. Any large gathering of people, regardless of purpose, may meet terrorist targeting criteria. Protests and rallies are vulnerable to attack by ISIS-K. Make every effort to avoid large groups – particularly political or religious gatherings.
In July 2016, two suicide bombers attacked a protest in Kabul, killing 83 civilians and wounding more than 230 others. In June 2017, another protest in the capital ended in bloodshed when Afghan security forces allegedly shot and killed seven demonstrators. A triple bombing during the funeral for the protesters killed 20 civilians.
On January 19, 2024, in Ghazi Amanullah Khan Town, Nangarhar Province, hundreds of civilians staged a demonstration against the Taliban for evicting them from their homes which had been illegally built on government land. The demonstration ended peacefully. Five days later, in PD9 in Kabul, in front of the UN, a peaceful demonstration by approximately 25 civilians from Chaman Babrak was held in front of UNOCA Compound. The protest which reportedly was related to immigration and land issues ended peacefully. Finally, on January 30, in Herat Province, around 25 local civilian protestors approached a UN facility and inquired into the hiring process and why a woman who had been recommended had not been hired. The UN Contracted Personnel suspended their activities and left the facility.
During the summer of 2025, protests began to increase, especially in rural areas and Herat Province where farmers and local residents protested the poppy eradication by the Taliban. Many of these protests grew violent with Taliban security forces firing into the crowds and killing several protestors. As such, Americans in these areas are at high risk of potential crossfire between the two groups.
Anti-U.S./Anti-Western Sentiment
No province in Afghanistan should be considered immune from violence, and the potential exists throughout the country for hostile acts, either targeted or random, against U.S. and other foreign nationals at any time. U.S. citizens who do decide to come to Afghanistan should maintain a low profile and exercise extreme discretion in disclosing their movement plans and personal information.
The Taliban, Haqqani Network, ISIS-K, and al’Qa'ida members and affiliates are strongly anti-U.S. and anti-Western. While some aid organizations may be permitted to operate in certain districts, the Taliban and most violent militant groups are generally opposed to any Western presence in Afghanistan.
Law Enforcement
After August 15, 2021, security forces of the Islamic Republic disbanded. The Taliban oversee an armed force that reports to the Ministry of Defense. Police forces report to the Ministry of Interior. Both the so-called General Directorate of Intelligence and the so-called Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice and Complaints oversee armed personnel who surveil the public and monitor compliance with Taliban-issued edicts and directives. There is ineffective civilian oversight of these groups. The Taliban did not formally change existing laws as legislated by the Islamic Republic; however, they promulgated edicts that contradicted the laws of the Islamic Republic and international conventions and used violence to enforce their edicts. There have been reports that members of the Taliban police and militia committed numerous abuses.
Shaikh Hibatullah Akhundzada is serving as supreme leader, aided by the three deputies -- Mulawi Yaqoob Umari, Shaikh Sirajuddin Haqqani, and Mulawi Abdul Ghani Baradar. The Taliban have divided Afghanistan’s 34 provinces administratively into two branches: south and southeast. The south comprises 14 provinces and falls under the authority of Umari. The southeast comprises the remaining 20 provinces and is administered by Haqqani. Each province is divided into eight zones, which in turn are divided into districts like those that had already existed. The Taliban leadership has established 18 commissions that function like ministries, dealing with military, political, economic, media and culture, public works, intelligence, and other matters.
Also wielding influence is a group of powerful special forces commanders, known as the Red Unit (Sara Qitaa). “Religious police” patrol the streets.
Police Response
Under the previous government, local authorities were generally ineffective in deterring crime and responding to distress calls and alarms. Corruption was rampant and crime rates were high. Under the Taliban, those responsible for local security mete out swift and brutal justice under the group's strict interpretation of Sharia law. Violent public deterrents may become common, as they were during the Taliban’s last reign in the 1990s. “Religious police” patrol the streets and may arbitrarily punish those they perceive as violating Sharia law. While there are guidelines dictating what is and is not allowed, and how it should be dealt with, reports show that not every Taliban member follows the new guidelines, and abuses are common. As was the case for the former government, a lack of basic resources severely hampers effective crime response.
Travelers with Special Considerations
For specific traveler concerns in Afghanistan, review the local laws and circumstances on the Department of State’s Country Information Page.
Rule of Law, Arbitrary Detention, Official Harassment, Corruption, & Transparency
The U.S. Department of State has included a Risk of Wrongful Detention “D” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Afghanistan, indicating that there is a continued risk of the wrongful detention of U.S. nationals by Afghan authorities.
The law under the pre-August 2021 government provided criminal penalties for corruption by government officials, but the Taliban did not implement the law effectively. There were numerous reports of Taliban corruption.
The Taliban announced anti-corruption policies following their takeover in August 2021, including the creation of commissions to identify corrupt or criminal Taliban members. The Taliban also launched a commission through the Ministry of Defense to identify members who were flouting the movement’s directives.
Under the former government, U.S. citizens, Afghans, and expatriates reported harassment and extortion at vehicle checkpoints and in other encounters with law enforcement officials. While information is limited, Taliban security forces may now act with impunity to an even greater degree than former security authorities. Avoid interactions with Taliban forces as much as possible and abide by their direction.
Cybersecurity
Afghanistan has witnessed exponential growth in the technology sector, primarily driven by user demand. Since the fall of the Taliban government in 2001, the number of Afghan users connected to the internet has risen significantly, and continues to rise despite the conflict in the region. According to USAID, the latest data available indicates that there are around 20 million mobile users and about 3 million internet users in Afghanistan, with cell phone possession estimated to reach 90% of the population in 2020. Travelers connecting to the internet in Afghanistan should do so only when necessary, using appropriate cybersecurity precautions. Avoid internet banking from Afghanistan.
Import/Export Restrictions
Afghan customs authorities generally enforce strict regulations on the import/export of certain goods such as alcoholic beverages, religious materials, antiquities, medication, precious stones and metals, and printed materials. U.S. citizen travelers have faced fines and/or confiscation of items considered antiquities upon exiting Afghanistan.
U.S. citizens, including security contractors and military personnel, should carefully review Afghan import/export restrictions on weapons, firearms, and ammunition, including antique or display models. It is also important to review the regulations of any country through which you may transit, as many countries have strict rules prohibiting these items, even in checked luggage.
There probably are restrictions on importing satellite phones into Afghanistan.
A country-specific listing of items/goods prohibited from being exported to the country or that are otherwise restricted is available from the U.S. International Trade Agency website.
Additional resources and reports can be found in the OSAC Traveler Toolkit.
