US sanctions against ISIS Khorasan renew debates about the future of Afghanistan

Nahla Abdelmonem

Events have been gathering pace in Afghanistan since the withdrawal from the country of US and NATO troops.

These fast-paced events make the country an international hotspot.

ISIS activities continue, meanwhile, to be the most important phenomenon on the Afghan scene.

On November 22, the US included the ISIS branch in Afghanistan, which is called ‘Khorasan Province’, in its list of terrorist organizations.

However, this raises a number of questions, including about whether Washington really wants to put a lid on terrorism in the region.

Some people are also asking about whether this move is yet a new measure in coordination between the US and the Taliban.

Questions are also raised about the status of Asian states negatively affected by the spread of terrorism in the region.

US branding

The US State Department added a number of ISIS Khorasan leaders to its list of terrorist organizations and figures.

These leaders included Sana Allah Ghafari, codenamed Shihab al-Muhajir.

It said al-Muhajir has been the leader of ISIS Khorasan since June 2021, along with the spokesman for the branch, Aziz Azzam, codenamed Sultan Aziz.

The list also included Mawlawi Rajab Salah al-Din, whom the US State Department considers one of the most prominent leaders of the Khorasan branch for his involvement in planning terrorist attacks.

Salah al-Din, it said, also has suspicious business dealings aiming at bankrolling ISIS activities and operations.

Those joining the list are subject to a set of legal measures in accordance with the US Constitution, and accordingly Washington considers the inclusion of these figures as a step on the road to containing the danger of the organization.

Most of ISIS leaders are on the same list and are still a direct threat to international security.