Is the war between “Taliban” and “ISIS” ends the conflict in Afghanistan?

In a conflict between armed and extremist groups over areas of influence and wealth, the Nangarhar province of eastern Afghanistan witnessed a bloody clash between the Taliban, which has a strong presence in the country, and the organization of ISIS, which has been active in the fragile Afghan state.

The clashes between the Taliban and the ISIS organization in Nangarhar province, east of Afghanistan, have killed 21 militants, including 18 Taliban and three of them, according to a statement by the Afghan Army’s “Sallab 201”.

Taliban militants have been active in some areas of Nangarhar province, which for a long time has been relatively quiet in eastern Afghanistan, but the security situation in some of its remote areas has deteriorated with the return of Taliban activity to the region and the emergence of “ISIS” in Afghanistan for the first time in 2014, located on the border with Pakistan, and was named the state of Khorasan.

Since the emergence of «ISIS» in Afghanistan, and the country is witnessing a competition between the Taliban and the terrorist organization, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi; to dominate the arena of jihadism in Afghanistan.

The rivalry between ISIS and the Taliban has been to attract militants and fighters, as well as influence on the ground, as well as financing routes, particularly opium poppy and mineral wealth, leading to an armed clash in which many of the dead have been killed.

On January 26, 2015, Abohammed al-Adnani, a spokesman for ISIS, announced that the Khurasan state (a branch of ISIS, based in Pakistan and Afghanistan) was being formed.

The branch comprised of combat groups, including a separate group from the Taliban, Islamic Republic of Uzbekistan, which included fighters from Central Asia, the Caucasus and the Aegean region.

Khorasan State was designated a terrorist organization by the United States of America in January 2016.

The future of conflict

Said Mahmoud Said Diab, a researcher in Central Asia said Taliban conflict and farewell, comes in the framework of a recurrent picture of the war of armed groups on influence, land and funding, the emergence of a fan in Afghanistan, increased pressure on the Taliban, which was unique jihadist arena there; Of its share in Afghanistan.

Diab added in a statement to the «reference», that «the security vulnerability of the Afghan state, geographical nature, and the provision of funding through the opium farms», increases the intensity and bloody conflict between the two extremist organizations.

He pointed out that this conflict, if in its general form, suggests influencing the status and fragile security of the Afghan state, and in the future, it may have a positive effect: the Taliban’s pursuit of negotiations and peace with the Afghan government and its transformation from an armed movement fighting the Afghan authorities into a recognized movement Which is reflected positively on the state, and tightens the noose on «ISIS»

He added that this scenario depends on the extent of understanding of the Taliban political situation, and its ability to manage the conflict with a supportive organization.