Islamic State threat escalates amid the disturbing reports it will target airport evacuation

The terror group, based in the mountain region of Afghanistan that was once home to Osama bin Laden, is seeking to capitalise on the Western withdrawal to further its ‘barbaric ideology’, according to expert analysts.

Although a rival to the Taliban, Isis-Khorosan, as it is known in Asia, has apparently been left to operate training camps in the remote Tora Bora province in eastern of the country.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace warned today that the threat from the jihadists grows with every hour that passes while UK and US forces undertake a fraught and dangerous airlift of tens of thousands of people from Kabul airport.

Meanwhile, Taliban fighters have left bin Laden’s former mountain hideout close to the border with Pakistan to Isis fighters, sources have told research project Ultrascan AGI.

The monitoring group has been told that Nangarhar Province, where the Tora Bora cave complex was home to Al-Qaeda before it was routed by US forces in 2001, is being used for training centres by the terror group.

The Counter Extremism Project (CEP), a New York-based think tank, also warned Isis is exploiting the rapid UK and US exit for its own ‘brutal goals’.

Nathan Sales, a former US ambassador-at-large who is now a CEP adviser, told Metro.co.uk: ‘While the Taliban has had a close partnership with Al-Qaeda that stretches back several decades, the Taliban and the local Isis affiliate see each other as enemies.

‘Nevertheless, there is a significant risk that Isis-Khorosan will be able to operate in Afghanistan after the Biden administration’s withdrawal.

‘We are already seeing disturbing reports that Isis may be planning to attack the airport in Kabul.

‘It appears that Afghanistan under Taliban control may become a permissive environment for a range of terrorist groups, even ones that are hostile to the Taliban.’

The Khorosan suffix has been given to the Isis element said to be active across Afghanistan and the wider south and central Asian region.

While the Taliban has looked to consolidate its hold on power since rapidly seizing control of the country just over a week ago, this is not thought to have included a direct military assault on the Tora Bora region.

David Ibsen, Executive Director to CEP, said: ‘In 2017, ISIS captured Tora Bora, the cave complex that was once bin Laden’s fortress.

‘While Isis’s so-called caliphate fell in Iraq and Syria, the terror group defied complete defeat in Afghanistan after a bloody turf war with Taliban fighters in the mountains of Nangarhar province.

‘Isis represents the most extreme possibility in the jihadist movement and they are entirely committed to their own barbaric ideology.

‘They will likely not regard the victory of the Taliban as a victory for their own brutal goals.

‘They are, however, very likely to manipulate the chaos and confusion in Kabul for their own nefarious purposes and will seek to continue to hold their ground in Tora Bora.’

A race against time is taking place to evacuate Afghans and Westerners from Kabul ahead of the scheduled US withdrawal on Tuesday.

The UK has only six days left to complete its role in one of the biggest emergency airlifts in history, drawing an end to two decades of involvement in Afghanistan.

As of this morning, 8,458 people had been flown out of Kabul in under two weeks by the British side of the operation, with nine more flights expected over the current 24-hour period.

Mr Wallace told Sky News: ‘As we get closer it’s correct to say the security risk goes up, it gets more and more dangerous.

‘Add-on groups and other terrorist groups like Isis would like to be seen taking credit, would like to be seen chasing the West out of Afghanistan – that will feed their narrative and ambitions.

‘The Taliban control the outer ring outside the airport, which makes it harder for Isis to get through and they’re certainly no friends of the Taliban.

‘But we’re very vulnerable should a terrorist choose to do something.’

Boris Johnson was expected to raise the issue of the Afghanistan endgame with the US President at a virtual G7 Summit this afternoon.

The Prime Minister was said to be due to ask Biden for the August 31 withdrawal date to be extended so more Afghans can be airlifted to safety.

However, the Taliban has insisted the US must adhere to the existing plan and early signs today are that the Americans will stick to the date.

Source: Metro