Guess what? The Taliban is now accusing other countries of using the ISIS group against Taliban in Afghanistan while dismissing concerns about ISIS activities in the country as “propaganda”. Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Taliban, without naming any countries, has accused some countries of magnifying the ISIS group’s presence in Afghanistan and using it against Taliban.
Go deeper:
- Muhajid made these remarks in an interview with the Taliban-controlled Radio Television of Afghanistan (RTA), which was released on Monday.
- The Taliban spokesman described countries’ concerns about ISIS activity in Afghanistan as “propaganda”, saying that countries are seeking to exploit Daesh against the Taliban.
- Mujahid said that ISIS is responsible for only one percent of the Taliban’s previous attacks.
- He even compared the Daesh’s attack to his own group and added that ISIS sometimes carries out attacks skilfully and secretly, which is close to one percent of the experiences that they have had and that the people of Afghanistan have seen.
- The Taliban spokesman also said, “They [ISIS] try to exploit the crowds of people and cities in a very skilful and secretive manner. Sometimes they carry out explosions and some attacks that are very close to one percent of the experiences that we have and that the people of Afghanistan have seen.”
- Muhajid’s comments about other countries utilising ISIS comes even as earlier the US Central Command had warned that the ISIS would be able to attack foreign countries from Afghanistan in about six months.
Why it matters? The regional affiliate of the Islamic State group has increased attacks since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in mid-August 2021. ISIS has targeted Taliban officials and patrols, as well as members of the country’s minority Shiites.
- The Taliban administration has said it is focused on securing the country and that it has carried out several raids against suspected ISIS members in recent weeks.
- Daesh is the main rival of the current Taliban authorities and aims to target Taliban officials, civilians and foreign nationals.
Zoom out: The most recent attack being at the Taliban’s ministry of foreign affairs in Kabul which killed at least six individuals and injured several others.
- Before this too, ISIS claimed responsibility for killing Taliban’s Balkh governor Mohammad Dawood Muzammil just weeks ago.
- Even though the Taliban has denied the presence of any terrorist group on its soil time and again, the group continues to conduct such brutal gun battles in civilian areas claiming to target Daesh hideouts.
