Close Protection

Security Assessment: Kabul

Critical risk Afghanistan

Planning travel to Kabul? Speak with a security consultant.

Kabul is the capital of Afghanistan, a country of approximately 40 million people governed by the Taliban since the fall of the internationally-recognised government in August 2021. It was previously the base for Western military operations and the associated security, development, and diplomatic infrastructure that operated for two decades. Most of that infrastructure has now withdrawn.

FCDO advises against all travel to Afghanistan. The US State Dept rates Afghanistan at Level 4: Do Not Travel. Kabul represents the most operationally complex city in our assessment framework.

The post-2021 security environment

The Taliban takeover in August 2021 fundamentally changed Kabul’s operating environment. The Western consular network withdrew. The Afghan National Security Forces, which provided the security framework for international operations for twenty years, dissolved. IS-KP has conducted sustained attacks in Kabul targeting mosques, schools, and crowded areas. The city’s security has not stabilised in the sense that would allow standard corporate operations.

IS-KP’s campaign against Shia and Hazara communities has produced some of the most lethal terrorist attacks globally in the years since 2021. IS-KP has also targeted Taliban military and administrative facilities, demonstrating continued operational capability in the capital.

Who still operates in Kabul

A limited number of international organisations and NGOs continue operations in Afghanistan under Taliban-approved frameworks. This requires specific Taliban liaison, accepted operating mandates, and security infrastructure that is bespoke to the Afghanistan environment. Development sector operations, humanitarian organisations, and specific infrastructure projects account for most current foreign presence.

For corporate visitors outside these frameworks, the question is whether any commercial purpose justifies the security overhead and the acceptance of a risk level that is categorically different from any other city in our network.

Planning an Afghanistan assignment

Any Afghanistan engagement begins with a pre-visit assessment that covers current IS-KP activity patterns, Taliban policy environment relevant to the visitor’s profile, evacuation options (overland routes, charter flight availability, consular options through third-country embassies that remain in Kabul), and medical evacuation capacity.

We do not treat Afghanistan as a standard assignment. The planning process is longer, the operator selection criteria are stricter, and the emergency protocols are more detailed than for any other city we cover.

Threat Intelligence

Threat Profile

Terrorism (Islamic State Khorasan Province)

Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-KP) remains active and has conducted mass-casualty attacks in Kabul since the Taliban takeover in 2021. Targets have included mosques, government facilities, educational institutions, and areas with foreign or minority population concentration. IS-KP has specifically targeted Shia and Hazara communities. Source: FCDO Afghanistan travel advice, April 2026.

Kidnapping

Kidnapping risk for foreign nationals in Afghanistan is critical. Both criminal networks and IS-KP have kidnapped foreign nationals. The Taliban's capacity and motivation to respond to kidnapping cases involving foreign nationals is unreliable. The Western consular network that would traditionally support kidnapping response has been largely withdrawn from Afghanistan.

Taliban Governance and Arbitrary Detention

The Taliban governs Afghanistan with no formal rule of law framework aligned to international norms. Arbitrary detention of foreign nationals has occurred. Activities that appear routine elsewhere (photography, journalism, NGO work, meeting Afghan civil society representatives) can result in detention. Women travellers face severe additional movement restrictions under Taliban policy.

IED and Complex Attack

Afghanistan has one of the highest IED incident rates globally. Improvised explosive devices target vehicles and personnel in urban and rural areas. Complex attacks combining vehicle bombs with armed assault have continued in Kabul under Taliban governance. The airport has been a specific target. Source: FCDO Afghanistan, April 2026.

No Western Consular Cover

Most Western embassies are closed or operating from third countries. The UK Embassy suspended operations in August 2021. The US Embassy has not reopened. This means standard consular emergency response is not available for most Western nationals. Emergency evacuation, legal assistance, and hospital liaison typically available through consular channels must be planned through private means.

Vetted operators with direct experience in Kabul

What We Offer

Available Services in Kabul

Risk Assessment

Pre-travel assessment for Afghanistan covering current IS-KP activity, route threat levels, Taliban policy environment, and profile-specific risks. Essential before any visit.

Bodyguard Hire

Afghan close protection through operators with post-2021 operational experience and Taliban relationship management capability. Extremely limited to specific purposes.

Security Drivers

Vetted Afghan drivers with current Kabul route knowledge, including IED-risk route avoidance and Taliban checkpoint protocols.

Executive Protection

Available only for specifically assessed assignments. Full threat assessment required before any deployment discussion.

Emergency Evacuation Planning

Pre-travel evacuation planning covering exit routes, charter flight options, overland alternatives, and border crossing protocols in the event of deteriorating conditions.

Compliance

Security Regulations

Key regulatory requirements for operating security services in Kabul.

Firearms Policy

Afghanistan's security regulatory environment is governed by the Taliban. Armed private security requires Taliban approval. Most established international security companies have withdrawn operations from Afghanistan. The practical regulatory framework is Taliban permission-based rather than a functioning civil licensing system.

Licensing

There is no functioning civil private security licensing framework in the conventional sense. Afghan security companies that continue operating do so under arrangements with the Taliban. Vetting for Afghanistan requires different criteria than for other markets, including assessment of Taliban relationships and ability to operate without drawing Taliban interference.

Foreign Operators

Foreign security operators require Taliban approval, which is rarely granted formally. Operations are conducted through local Afghan entities with the appropriate political and tribal relationships. Most Western security companies do not currently operate in Afghanistan outside of very specific contracted international organisation work.

Local Intel

Zone Intelligence

Lower-Risk Areas

Green Zone (Wazir Akbar Khan): Former diplomatic quarter. Some hardened infrastructure remains but has been subject to Taliban security controls. Limited international presence.
Kabul International Airport (HKIA) perimeter: Under Taliban military control. The site of the 2021 IS-KP suicide bombing that killed 170 people.

Elevated-Risk Areas

Everywhere in Kabul should be treated as elevated risk. Zone distinctions from the pre-2021 period are no longer a reliable safety guide.
Markets and public gathering areas carry IS-KP attack risk. Shia mosques and Hazara community areas are specifically targeted.
Roads between Kabul and other cities carry IED and highway robbery risk beyond city limits.

Quick Reference

Emergency Contacts

Taliban Security Forces (ANDSF successor)

119

Ambulance (limited functionality)

112

Afghan Red Crescent

+93 20 220 0317

ICRC Kabul

+93 20 250 6001

Advisory

Important Warnings

FCDO advises against all travel to Afghanistan. The US State Dept rates Afghanistan as Level 4: Do Not Travel. There are no exceptions to this advisory for standard visitors.
Western consular cover is effectively unavailable. Plan emergency response, medical evacuation, and legal support entirely through private channels before departure.
Women travellers face specific restrictions under Taliban policy including requirements for a male guardian (mahram) for travel and restrictions on movement, dress, and employment. These are enforced actively.
All photography in public spaces and near any infrastructure carries detention risk under Taliban policy. This includes mobile phone photography.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Limited operations continue in Kabul, primarily through international organisations, NGOs operating under Taliban-approved frameworks, and specific development sector activities. These operations typically involve significant security infrastructure, pre-arranged Taliban liaison, and evacuation planning that would not be appropriate for standard corporate travel. For corporate visits, the question is whether the purpose justifies the risk and overhead.

The primary changes for security planning are: withdrawal of Western consular infrastructure, collapse of the Afghan National Security Forces and the pre-existing security regulatory framework, IS-KP’s escalation of attacks against civilian and minority targets, and the enforcement of Taliban social restrictions that directly affect female staff and certain visitor profiles. The IED threat has not decreased and IS-KP capability has demonstrated continued sophistication.

We can identify vetted Afghan operators with post-2021 operational track records and appropriate Taliban relationship management capability for specifically assessed assignments. We require a full brief before any Afghanistan engagement. We do not dispatch operators to Afghanistan without a pre-visit risk assessment, confirmed purpose, emergency evacuation plan, and client acknowledgement of the risk level.

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