Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – In the past 40 days, 18 people have been killed in a series of brutal ISIS-linked attacks in Afghanistan’s Ghor province, according to a recent report from Hasht-e Subh Daily. Despite ongoing Taliban denials of ISIS presence in the country, the report details that ISIS has targeted and killed civilians and Taliban members, marking a worrying surge in violence.
The most recent attack occurred on September 12, when ISIS shot 13 Hazara villagers from Qariodal in Daykundi and another resident from Ghor, injuring six others. In response to the incident, Taliban officials condemned the violence. On October 12, ISIS announced the shooting of three Taliban fighters in Ghor, sharing photos of the victims’ identity documents and weapons via an affiliated Telegram channel. In another encounter, an intense clash on October 13 left a senior Taliban intelligence member and two ISIS fighters dead, escalating the ongoing conflict.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid acknowledged the clash, claiming the destruction of a significant ISIS center allegedly operating from Pakistan. Taliban intelligence departments have since circulated images and reports of further ISIS movements in the region, urging caution at local checkpoints.
This increase in ISIS activity, documented with images and audio recordings, challenges the Taliban’s claims of ISIS’s absence in Afghanistan and reflects growing regional instability.
