A worrying trend has been noted by U.S. counterterrorism assets, whereby an uptick in attacks by Islamic State’s affiliate, State-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) in Afghanistan. Its is also worrying on Al-Qaeda’s ongoing presence in the volatile country now under the Taliban ‘government’.
The escalation in attacks comes amid developments whereby Taliban is seeking recognition of the government that the Islamists formed after their takeover and the U.S. troop pullout in August.
The Taliban has voiced very clearly and openly the desire to normalize relations with international community and subsequently gaining recognition. Taliban want see a return of the international diplomatic community to Kabul and to see sanctions relief.
United States is preparing for the next round of talks with the Taliban in Doha, but he did not give a date but much details have so far been availed.
War has deeply impoverished Afghanistan, and now that the country has been face by another humanitarian crisis. Millions of Afghans face growing hunger amid soaring food prices, a drought and an economy in freefall, fueled by a hard cash shortage, sanctions on Taliban leaders and a financial aid cutoff.
This crisis possibly will worsen in the coming days, weeks or months citing the worrying trend of ISIS-K attacks that have been witnessed. The Taliban also are confronting increasing attacks by their ideological foe, Islamic State-Khorasan Province, or ISIS-K, the regional Islamic State affiliate.
U.S. in a statement has expressed its concerns about the uptick in ISIS-K attacks also noting other militant groups; such the Al-Qaeda still have presence in Afghanistan.
U.S. officials believe that ISIS-K could develop the ability to strike outside of Afghanistan within six to 12 months and that Al-Qaeda could do the same within one to two years thus threat posed by these Islamist militant groups is steadily multiplying.
