IS posing an ever greater danger in Afghanistan

Nahla Abdelmonem

The United States and NATO troops prepare to pull out of Afghanistan. The expected pullout comes as a surge in terrorist attacks happens in the country, portending internal unrest.

The Islamic State (IS) group steps up its attacks against the commanders of the Taliban and ordinary Afghan citizens.

This is why there are expectations that the withdrawal of US and NATO troops from Afghanistan would offer an opportunity to IS to grow in the country.

Internal and external framework

Afghanistan is a very complicated country. The Taliban wants to control the country. The terrorist movement controls large swaths of Afghanistan already in the face of a weak government that wants only to achieve political gains in the coming period.

IS also tries to expand its presence in Afghanistan in its bid to compensate the losses it sustained in Syria and Iraq. It competes with al-Qaeda which enjoys close links with the Taliban.

Regional dimension

Russia and China pursue a heavy-handed policy towards violent Islamist organizations. This is why the two countries are not expected to offer any concessions to IS which is known to be among the most radical organizations in the world.

Afghanistan’s neighboring countries will be left to face terrorist organizations active in Afghanistan, a long time after this mission was carried out by the Americans and the NATO troops.

Political understandings between the two countries and the Taliban are not expected to apply in the case of IS.