The ISIS’s game in Afghanistan

The ISIS’s game in Afghanistan

Dr. Jassim Taqui

While ISIS is facing defeats in Syria, Iraq and Libya, it has reemerge in Afghanistan. The terrorist outfit declared responsibility for the triple suicide attack against a peaceful protest by members of the predominantly Shiite Hazara community. Over 80 people were killed and 231 wounded, some seriously.

Ostensibly, many leaders of ISIS escaped from Syria and Iraq to surface in Afghanistan. They, however, did not wait for long. Within no time, they conducted a massive operation; selecting a soft target.

The tragic event should have been expected by Law Enforcing  (LEAs) Afghan agency especially  when the UN published a report on 28^thSeptember 2015,which disclosed that ISIS was recruiting followers in nearly 75 percent of the country’s 34 provinces. Furthermore, ISIS announced on29th January, 2015 the establishment of Khorasan chapter that covers Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and other surrounding countries.  A former TTP commander Hafiz Saeed Khan was appointed the governor of Khorasan. Yet, the Afghan LEAs remained dormant.

This development is indicative that the ISIS has made strong inroad in Afghanistan. This also means that the Afghans would face a long and bloody civil war.

Furthermore, ISIS would target Pakistan, Iran, China, Russia, India and Central Asian Republics. The objective is to create chaos and anarchy in the region a la Arab Spring.

Prospects are grim for the region. ISIS could surprise all countries with waves of suicide bombings. And Pakistan should be next in the priority of ISIS and foreign masters who have perfected their clandestine plan to sabotage CPEC.

That now, the real enemy of peace has been identified, all countries of the region should present a case to the UN Secretary General demanding the establishment of international coalition to eradicate ISIS before it is too late.