OSINT SUMMARY
ISLAMABAD, Wednesday 11th November 2015, angry Afghans took to the streets protesting Islamic State increasing militancy activities.
Notably, kidnapping of innocent civilians including women and children and atrocities committed by the militant group prompted the protests in Kabul.
Earlier in the week, Islamic State kidnapped seven civilians among them three women. The victims are members of the minority Shi’ite Hazara ethnic community.
Protester who marched through streets of Afghan capital carrying coffins gathered in front of the presidential palace.
The demonstrators were sending a message to the government to provide security and safety for its citizens.
The protesters had banners and placards with anti-Taliban and anti-Daesh slogans on them and also chanted “Down with Taliban” and “Down with Daesh,”using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State.
Jihadist Groups Rivalry
The recent kidnappings and brutal killings including decapitation reported last Sunday in Zabul have been condemned by Afghan top leadership (including President Ghani) vowing not to bow down to terrorist pressure.
Islamic State terrorists group which primarily wages campaigns in Syria and Iraq is slowly extending it foothold in parts of Afghanistan.
This move seem to have rubbed Taliban terrorist group and it has been witnessed in the past few weeks where there have rivalry between the two faction has been witnessed.
Though in the protests, Taliban was also accused of carrying out beheading of innocent civilians, the Islamist’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid downplayed those claims saying the militant was fighting Daesh insurgents responsible for violence surge and committing atrocities in parts of Afghanistan.
