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Militants who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State or ISIS in Afghanistan are becoming more than a nuisance to the country’s larger militant group, the Afghan Taliban, by claiming territory and attacking Taliban members, the New York Times reported on Thursday (NYT). Throughout the month, ISIS members have been attacking veteran Taliban units south and east of Jalalabad in Nangarhar province. On Wednesday, a spokesman for the Afghan Army corps in the region said that ISIS fighters captured and beheaded 10 Taliban fighters who had been fleeing a military offensive. ISIS has been recruiting in Afghanistan since at least April 2014
http://data1.ibtimes.co.in/en/full/574166/several-taliban-leaders-have-joined-isis.jpg
The NYT report noted that Isis has deployed the same strategy it used in Syria to deminish the influence of Al Qaeda and other fighters. Isis in Afghanistan has been "aggressively" attacking the Taliban and has been able to make significant gains in the country.
A key Taliban commander, Maulvi Abbas, was recently taken hostage by Isis, who now demand that the Taliban fighters join forces with the Islamic State.
In January, reports claimed that several influential former Taliban leaders joined Isis. It was reported that Mullah Abdul Rauf, a former Taliban commander from Helmand province, is now running a recruitment cell for the radical group in Afghanistan.
The attack on Taliban militants in regions such as Nangarhar could prove to be a gamechanger for Isis. Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan, has always been a Taliban stronghold, but now with Isis gaining grounds, the former terror masters now have a new enemy to battle.
Isis Beheads 10 Taliban Fighters in Afghanistan
Fighting in Afghanistan intensifies between ′Islamic State′ and the Taliban | Asia | DW.DE | 09.06.2015
IS is an al Qaeda splinter group – a Sunni militant organization which has captured vast swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq. The organization, which is notorious for its extreme and violent interpretation of Shariah law and atrocities in the areas which it controls, is believed to have started expanding its influence and control in Central Asia and Afghanistan.
In April, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a bank in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, killing at least 35 people. Contrary to initial suspicions, the attack was not carried out by the Taliban, who denied any responsibility. Instead, the bombing was attributed to IS by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
"IS has gained a presence in Afghanistan," Farid Bakhtwar, head of the provincial council in Afghanistan's western Farah province, told DW. He said that the militant group had started recruiting new members, including former Taliban fighters, in Afghanistan.
Growing rivalry
While some Taliban leaders have reportedly joined the IS ranks, the organization as a whole considers the Middle Eastern group "illegitimate" and has refused to forge an alliance with it. Taliban chief Mullah Mohammad Omar and IS head Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi both claim to be the caliphs of the Muslim world.
"While IS is fighting to increase its presence in the whole region - not only Afghanistan - the Taliban are fighting to overthrow the Afghan government," said Akhondzada, adding that the two Islamist groups, despite being predominantly Sunni outfits, had different strategic goals.
"A realistic review of concrete aims and strategies of IS indicates that it will enter the region sooner rather than later. Taking into account the strategic importance of the Afghanistan-Pakistan geographical area for the global jihad, one must expect that IS is planning to gain a permanent foothold in South Asia," Wolf told DW, adding that if not directly, with the help of some Taliban factions and other extremist groups in the region, IS could achieve its goals.
But Wolf said it would be naïve to think that the Taliban would give up the control of Afghanistan easily: "It is a myth that the Taliban is now a fractious movement that is facing an existential crisis due to IS' increasing presence and its own infighting. History has proven the resilience of the Taliban."
http://data1.ibtimes.co.in/en/full/574166/several-taliban-leaders-have-joined-isis.jpg
The NYT report noted that Isis has deployed the same strategy it used in Syria to deminish the influence of Al Qaeda and other fighters. Isis in Afghanistan has been "aggressively" attacking the Taliban and has been able to make significant gains in the country.
A key Taliban commander, Maulvi Abbas, was recently taken hostage by Isis, who now demand that the Taliban fighters join forces with the Islamic State.
In January, reports claimed that several influential former Taliban leaders joined Isis. It was reported that Mullah Abdul Rauf, a former Taliban commander from Helmand province, is now running a recruitment cell for the radical group in Afghanistan.
The attack on Taliban militants in regions such as Nangarhar could prove to be a gamechanger for Isis. Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan, has always been a Taliban stronghold, but now with Isis gaining grounds, the former terror masters now have a new enemy to battle.
Isis Beheads 10 Taliban Fighters in Afghanistan
Fighting in Afghanistan intensifies between ′Islamic State′ and the Taliban | Asia | DW.DE | 09.06.2015
IS is an al Qaeda splinter group – a Sunni militant organization which has captured vast swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq. The organization, which is notorious for its extreme and violent interpretation of Shariah law and atrocities in the areas which it controls, is believed to have started expanding its influence and control in Central Asia and Afghanistan.
In April, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a bank in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, killing at least 35 people. Contrary to initial suspicions, the attack was not carried out by the Taliban, who denied any responsibility. Instead, the bombing was attributed to IS by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
"IS has gained a presence in Afghanistan," Farid Bakhtwar, head of the provincial council in Afghanistan's western Farah province, told DW. He said that the militant group had started recruiting new members, including former Taliban fighters, in Afghanistan.
Growing rivalry
While some Taliban leaders have reportedly joined the IS ranks, the organization as a whole considers the Middle Eastern group "illegitimate" and has refused to forge an alliance with it. Taliban chief Mullah Mohammad Omar and IS head Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi both claim to be the caliphs of the Muslim world.
"While IS is fighting to increase its presence in the whole region - not only Afghanistan - the Taliban are fighting to overthrow the Afghan government," said Akhondzada, adding that the two Islamist groups, despite being predominantly Sunni outfits, had different strategic goals.
"A realistic review of concrete aims and strategies of IS indicates that it will enter the region sooner rather than later. Taking into account the strategic importance of the Afghanistan-Pakistan geographical area for the global jihad, one must expect that IS is planning to gain a permanent foothold in South Asia," Wolf told DW, adding that if not directly, with the help of some Taliban factions and other extremist groups in the region, IS could achieve its goals.
But Wolf said it would be naïve to think that the Taliban would give up the control of Afghanistan easily: "It is a myth that the Taliban is now a fractious movement that is facing an existential crisis due to IS' increasing presence and its own infighting. History has proven the resilience of the Taliban."