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 Most of that infrastructure has now withdrawn.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. For comparable operating environments in our network, see our Karachi city briefing and Mumbai city briefing.
What are the main security threats in Kabul?
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 security services are available 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.
What are the rules for private security in Kabul?
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.
Which areas of Kabul carry elevated risk?
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.
Deploying to Kabul? Get a vetted close protection detail.
Request ConsultationWho do you call in an emergency in Kabul?
Taliban Security Forces (ANDSF successor)
119
112 (general emergency line, limited functionality; for an ambulance in Kabul dial 102, which is the number the FCDO and the Ministry of Public Health both give)
112
Afghan Red Crescent
+93 20 220 0317
ICRC Kabul
+93 20 250 6001
Kabul ambulance service, free, 24 hours
102
French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children (FMIC), Kabul University Road, Aliabad
+93 79 107 0000
Ministry of Public Health, Sehat-e-Ama Square, Wazir Akbar Khan Road
+93 20 230 1374
UK consular assistance for Afghanistan, remote only (British Embassy Kabul suspended in-country operations in August 2021)
+44 20 7008 5000
What travel advisories apply to Kabul?
- 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to operate in Kabul at all as a foreign national?
What has changed since the Taliban takeover in 2021?
Can you provide security operators for Afghanistan?
What is the IS-KP threat to civilians in Kabul?
What restrictions apply to female staff and visitors in Kabul?
This page is published by CloseProtectionHire.com and written to editorial standards overseen by James Calloway, Senior Security Consultant (regulation, licensing, vetting and risk frameworks) and Marcus Webb, Security Operations Adviser (operational close protection, secure transport and city-specific safety).
Threat, regulatory and emergency information is sourced to named, dated authorities such as the FCDO, the US State Department and national licensing bodies. Last updated . See how we verify.