Islamic State recruitment drive in overdrive mode since Kabul airport attack

The rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan is being closely watched by the world. However there is also a lurking danger of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) raising its ugly head in Afghanistan and spreading its tentacles in other parts of the world.

The deadly attack at the Kabul airport recently is a sign that the ISKP is capable of striking big.

Analysts and experts OneIndia spoke with say that the Taliban may have downplayed the threat, but the fact remains that the Taliban is not a united faction and the ISKP may over the months get stronger with disgruntled cadres joining the outfit.

The manner in which the ISKP struck at the airport is very similar to the attacks that the Taliban would carry out when it was not in power. Investigations have revealed that the ISKP used sticky bombs during the attack and this is very similar to the Taliban style of operation.

While the rise of the Taliban is a huge matter of concern, analysts say that the strengthening of the ISKP is a matter of greater worry. The ISKP nurtured global ambitions, while the Taliban would by and large stay at home and operate.

The ISKP in the Indian context is even more dangerous since it has managed to recruit scores of Muslims especially from Kerala. Such attacks such as the one that took place in the Kabul airport may well breathe life into fence sitters who the ISKP is trying to recruit. While the ISKP and Taliban have been at loggerheads, there is also a chance that the former may be allowed by the latter to operate in specific zones by the latter.

For instance, Pakistan’s ISI may well use it as a proxy to carry out attacks in India. The ISI may also fund the ISKP heavily as the outfit is in dire need of funds after its finances began to dwindle. Afghanistan watchers say that it is never right to write off the ISKP.

The Taliban continues to be a broken unit and as we have seen in the past, many from the group have joined the ISKP. If such attacks continue to take place, it would only add more life to the ISKP and there is a good chance and many from the Taliban or Pakistan based terror groups will join the outfit.

The ISKP remains an extremely dangerous entity and in the Indian context it is a matter of concern. The Intelligence Bureau would continue to keep its focus closely on states such as Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

As has been said recently, since the Kabul airport attack took place, the chatter on the social media and other messaging applications have only increased.

An IB officer says that they are monitoring the web closely and are doing everything they can to ensure that the recruitment drive does not go into overdrive mode with the ISKP trying to up its game in Afghanistan.

Source: One India