Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
AT News
KABUL – In a delicate balancing act, the international community faces a critical decision regarding Afghanistan’s security landscape. The Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISKP) poses a genuine threat, despite the Taliban-led government’s denial of their significance. Recent ISKP attacks have unveiled the stark reality that the Taliban alone may not have the capacity to quell this extremist force.
As Afghanistan stands at this crossroads, the global community are oscillating between the choice to collaborate with the Taliban to counter the ISKP menace or to risk witnessing the emergence of a troubling growth of the Islamic State in Afghanistan where the Taliban have knowingly or inadvertently eased movement of terror groups apart from the ISIS and its affiliates.
The Taliban’s assertions of having dismantled ISKP strongholds in Nangarhar and Kunar are challenged by the persistent attacks, indicating that the Taliban can never defeat ISKP single-handedly without international community’s intervention.
Efforts to eliminate ISKP by the Taliban have seen key commanders fall, yet the threat persists. The specific religious ideological strife between the Taliban and ISKP adds complexity, with allegations of foreign backing fuelling the extremist elements.
However, voices within the Taliban government express a shift in stance, hinting at a willingness to engage with the international community to eradicate ISKP. The solution lies in coordinated efforts with the Taliban to defeat ISKP. However, the extent to which nations are willing to engage with the Taliban, share intelligence, and provide logistical support remains uncertain.
Amid these complexities, two critical aspects must not be overlooked. First, the Taliban’s commitment to promises made in the Doha Accord, especially regarding female education, warrants scrutiny. The economic plight driving Afghan youth towards terrorism poses a broader challenge that demands global attention. Second, the role of regional players in exacerbating the situation through proxies and vested interests adds another layer of complexity. Attacks with unclaimed responsibility hint at a tangled web involving intelligence agencies pursuing their agendas.
