Kabul: At least 72 Afghans have been killed in the blasts at the Kabul airport. 13 American soldiers are also among the dead. The ISIS terrorist group has also claimed responsibility for these killings. The Taliban, which had occupied Afghanistan, had condemned the incident through a Twitter post. It also said that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was “closely monitoring the safety of its people”. Government sources informed CNN that in the all-party meeting, the Indian government had said that they feared an ISIS attack on the Kabul airport.
At the same time, Reuters quoted sources as saying that US officials believe that Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K), an Afghan ally of the Islamic State, was responsible for the incident. ISIS-K is considered a major enemy of the Taliban. It is said that in the midst of the turmoil after the rebels’ occupation of Afghanistan, many important prisoners lodged in the country’s jails were released. Now we know what is ISIS-K and what is the threat to Afghans from it.
Who is ISIS-K?
ISIS-K, an ally of the IS terror group, once occupied large areas in northern Syria and Iraq. Founded in 2015, the organization operates mostly in eastern Afghanistan. One of these areas is called Khorasan Province. The number of fighters in this group is believed to be more than 2,200 and this figure has been increasing since American soldiers left the country.
The great danger to citizens
According to the Center of Strategic and International Studies, between 2015 and 2017, ISIS-K carried out 100 attacks on civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan. During this time, there have been about 250 attacks on American, Pakistani, and Afghan soldiers. Since then their number has continued to increase. ITV News Global Security Editor Rohit Kachru says that ISIS-K has been working in the Khorasan region of Afghanistan for 6 years. It has carried out ‘hundreds of attacks on civilians.
The US, Afghan forces, and the Taliban are said to have played down ISIS-K’s influence, but it has carried out several major attacks in recent years. In May 2020, there was an alleged attack at the Maternity Center in Kabul. It is believed that 24 people, including newborns and mothers, were killed in this attack.
Is ISIS-K linked to Taliban or Al-Qaeda?
There is enmity between ISIS-K and the Taliban. ISIS-K believes that the Taliban is not as radical as it should be. In the past, there has been fighting between groups over land in Afghanistan. According to reports, the commander of ISIS-K, who was locked in Kabul, was killed by the Taliban last week. Due to the war on both sides, it is unlikely that ISIS-K will accede to the Taliban’s agreement with the West to evacuate people from Kabul airport. It is unlikely to work with ISIS-K and Al-Qaeda even after sharing the same perception.
