The ISIS-K branch has begun to show signs of becoming active again in Afghanistan and is not only attacking targets within the country, but they are also targeting neighboring Iran and Pakistan.
ISIS-K has also begun expanding its operations beyond the region, with Russia, Germany, Turkey and Tajikistan recently cracking down on plots believed to be behind these terrorists.
Amira Jadoon, a professor at Clemson University (USA), commented that the recent rise of ISIS-K has been planned through a multi-pronged approach for several years.
In an article on ISIS-K’s media channel, the terrorist group declared that “the territory of Islam was never limited to Afghanistan but is much wider”, showing its ambition to attack beyond its borders. IS realm.
The article said: “The land of Islam is the land that Muslims won with their sacrifices, covering all of Africa, starting from East Turkestan, to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan. It extends to Chechnya and Dagestan (two Russian republics), and from Turkey all the way to Andalus and the Middle East countries, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and more.”
ISIS-K once attracted attention when they were the ones behind the suicide bombing at Hamid Karzai airport in Afghanistan when the US withdrew troops from the country in 2021. Hundreds of people were killed, including 13 American soldiers.
According to Professor Jadoon, after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, ISIS-K activated its strategy of expanding its legs abroad, putting many countries under the threat of terrorism.
Colin Clarke, a senior researcher at the Soufan Center (USA), warns that ISIS-K poses a “significant threat” and that their attacks and plots range from the Middle East to Europe. all demonstrate that this group “still intends to conduct attacks”.