Islamic State-Khorasan is Afghanistan’s next problem

Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K), the Afghanistan affiliate of the Islamic State, could pose as Afghanistan’s next major problem.

Responsible for the attack on Kabul’s airport in August, ISIS-K now poses a serious threat to the country’s new rulers and stability, with possible goals that go beyond the region and Western involvement.

ISIS-K recently emerged as the outlier among the Islamic organizations now ruling Afghanistan.

Yoram Schweitzer, a senior research fellow at the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies, explained to i24NEWS that ISIS-K is one of “the most prominent groups in Afghanistan.”

“It wants to embarrass the Taliban, vis a vis the United States, to cause friction between the two bodies and take advantage of the opportunity,” he added.

The Taliban shares resources and cooperates with members of the al-Haqqani network in al-Qaeda, a Sunni Islamic militant faction.

However, ISIS-K is actively fighting them, criticizing the Taliban and its allies for being too soft and cooperating with the US during its withdrawal.

“The military, commanders on the ground, and forces begin to move not just troops home, but also equipment home,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a press briefing in August.

“That is often a very dangerous part of any mission, but in this case, they are also doing that while there is an ongoing and acute threat from ISIS-K.”

As the US presence in Afghanistan diminished this past year, ISIS-K grew in strength, recruiting Afghanis and foreigners under the organization’s new commander Shahab al-Muhajir.

“One of the big questions,” Schweitzer noted to i24NEWS, “is whether Afghanistan will serve as a jumping board for carrying out international operations in the West.”

Source: i24 News