Under the title "Khorasan Province: An Ongoing Threat in Kabul Despite Taliban Denials", the Al-Hurra website published a translated report highlighting that, despite all the terrorist and bloody attacks carried out by the ISIS-affiliated "Khorasan Province" in Afghanistan, the Taliban movement insists that it does not pose any actual threat to the country and its diverse populace, including various sects and minorities. According to the U.S. CBS News channel, the Taliban has intensified its patrols across the capital, Kabul, contradicting its officials' statements that ISIS does not represent a threat to the Afghan people.
When asked by a leader of one of the Taliban police patrols, Rahimi, whether his movement could assure the safety of Afghans two months after taking power, he replied, "Yes, with 100 percent certainty, we can ensure the full security of the people." However, ongoing bloodshed in the Afghan streets tells a different story, according to the channel's correspondent. Just last week, over 50 people were killed in a suicide bombing targeting a mosque of the Shiite minority in the southern city of Kandahar. This bombing heightened fears within the Shiite community, including the worshippers at Zahra Mosque in the capital, Kabul, which has been subjected to deadly suicide attacks over the past four years executed by elements of the terrorist "Khorasan Province".
Imam Mohammad Jawad stated that he feared the return of this terrorist group to target his mosque again, adding, "We are all worried... it is extremely difficult for our community. None of us want to be attacked while performing prayers." Despite many Taliban leaders denying any real danger from ISIS, the group has formed a special forces unit named "Badr 313," which wears uniforms similar to those of commandos in Western armies, follows their tactics, and uses American and Western weapons. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid commented on the formation of these forces, stating, "It is true that we need to protect civilians, and we are doing so, but ISIS Khorasan is not a real threat. They cannot even attack our military facilities."
Explosions and heavy gunfire were reported in the Afghan city of Jalalabad on Thursday evening, according to Al-Hurra's correspondent quoting local sources. The sources mentioned that explosions were heard in the seventh district of Jalalabad, which is one of the strongholds of the terrorist organization. The Taliban has closed all roads leading to the area, without providing details about what is happening in the city that is witnessing confrontations between the Taliban and ISIS Khorasan. The organization launched a series of deadly attacks last month targeting mosques of the Hazara Shiite minority. On August 26, an ISIS Khorasan suicide bomber targeted the gate of Kabul Airport during a massive evacuation operation conducted by the U.S. Department of Defense, resulting in the deaths of around 200 Afghan civilians trying to flee the country and 13 U.S. soldiers.
ISIS rejects Taliban rule and poses the biggest threat to them since the withdrawal of U.S. forces on August 31.
