KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – As international concerns mount over the Taliban’s handling of terrorist groups, the Taliban accuses neighboring countries of supporting the Islamic State affiliate, IS-KP.
During the opening ceremony of an Afghan-Kazakh exhibition on April 25th, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi claimed there are “no safe havens” for ISIS in Afghanistan. However, he went on to accuse three neighboring countries of supporting IS-KP, without specifying which ones.
“Unfortunately, in these three neighboring countries, one provides manpower, another is a route for destructive individuals to pass through, and a third has provided them with financing and planning centers on its soil,” Muttaqi said.
Meanwhile, the regime’s defense minister, Mullah Yaqoob, has again claimed that no “destructive” groups, including IS-KP, have a physical presence in Afghanistan, and the country poses no threat to any other nation.
The Taliban’s claims contradict recent assessments by the UN Security Council and the US Department of State. The UN estimates there are currently 6,000 IS-KP fighters in Afghanistan, and the US State Department reported that IS-KP continued attacks throughout 2023, targeting the Hazara-Shia community and Taliban members.
The international community, including the US and regional nations, have expressed concern about the resurgent terrorist threat in Afghanistan. This concern intensified following recent deadly attacks by IS-KP in Moscow and Iran.
Senator Marco Rubio of the US pointed to the Moscow attack as evidence that ISIS has re-established itself in Afghanistan following U.S. withdrawal from the country. He argued the Taliban lacks the capability to effectively counter the group and warned that ISIS is likely seeking more “real estate” for future attacks. Meanwhile, Senator Lindsey Graham urged the US to take action against IS-KP targets before it’s too late.
Despite the Taliban’s claims of dismantling IS-KP, the US State Department reported that terrorist groups, particularly IS-KP, continued targeting the Hazara-Shia community and Taliban members throughout 2023. This year alone, the terrorist group has claimed responsibility for at least three attacks on the Hazara-Shia community, including a recent attack in Kabul that resulted in casualties.
The group has also targeted high-ranking Taliban officials in the past two years. In March of last year, IS-KP claimed responsibility for the killing of the Taliban governor of the northern Balkh province, Mohammad Dawood Muzammil. Later in June, the group assassinated Nisar Ahmad Ahmadi, the group’s governor for northeastern Badakhshan province.
