Afghanistan Times
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The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), but in Afghanistan it is very famous by its Arabic language acronym Daesh. ISIL gained global prominence in early 2014 when it drove Iraqi government forces out of key cities in its Western Iraq offensive followed by its capture of Mosul and the Sinjar massacre. In Syria the group is also engaged in destruction activities. The group is widely known for its videos of beheading of both soldiers and civilians, including journalists and workers and its destruction of cultural heritage sites. ISIS is also responsible for human right abuse and war crimes. But some members of these groups are active in Afghanistan under Daesh Khorasan. The Khorasan group’s area of operations also includes other parts of South Asia, such as Pakistan and India where individuals have pledged allegiance to it. The group in 2015 appointed former Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan militant Hafiz Saeed Khan as its leader, with former Afghan Taliban commander Abdul Rauf Aliza appointed as deputy leader. Aliza was killed in a US drone strike in February 2015, while Khan was killed in a US airstrike in July 2016. But the group did not terminate by killing its leaders, reversely it tried well to gain foothold in the country, and their (Daesh) presence now is a great hazard to Afghanistan. Abduction, killing, suicide attacks, beheading and etc… are the evil practice of this group. Mostly, civilians are the victims. Even the group torched residential houses in eastern Nangarhar province, and it considers their hideouts. Daesh militants are having huge presence in this province. Thought they have presence in other provinces too, but not as much as in Nangarhar. Daesh is a serious threat, and there is no doubt in it. However, security forces have killed at least 2,500 Daesh fighters in the past one year, but the group’s threat is still here. It is a fact that brave security forces are making indefatigable efforts to chase not only Daesh, but all militant outfits nationwide. But it is also fact that militants are growing day by day. Daesh has to be eliminated. Looking to the group’s ideology, we get clear picture of how much the group is brutal. It is vicious at every form. For instance, the killing of patience, visitors, doctors and other employees of the 400-bed hospital—the largest military hospital in Kabul is one of their atrocity against innocent people. The group also thumped its chest for Wednesday’s Kabul suicide attack, in which eight civilians were killed, 28 others including three NATO troops wounded. A comprehensive operation against Deash militant is the need of the hour. There is no doubt that terrorists, whether it is Daesh, Taliban, or other militant outfits have concealed their consecutive defeats through such cowardly attacks on the public areas. A joint anti-Daesh operation across the country has to be kicked off and target them from air and ground.
