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Daesh, al-Qaeda to establish Islamic Caliphate in Badakhshan
Local officials in Badakhshan say that some 600 families of Daesh and al-Qaeda, who are citizens of some Asian countries, are present in the province and have chosen the Khustak Valley of Jurm district as the center of their activities.
Badakhshan Governor Zakaria Sowda said, “After Daesh was defeated in Helmand and Nangarhar provinces, it is now working with the Al-Qaeda group, all of whom are foreigners, to build a caliphate center in Dara-e Khustak, Jurm district of Badakhshan. If it is not stopped, it will be a great danger after the peace process in Afghanistan and the Middle East.”
Altafullah Alizai, commander of the army’s brigade in Badakhshan, said, “Dara-e Khustak is under the control of Daesh and al-Qaeda for years. The place has open borders with China, Tajikistan, and Pakistan. It has gold mines, exported by the group to foreign countries through the open borders – a good income stream for them.”
Badakhshan military officials say that the Ansarullah network, the eastern Turkestan group, and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan are among the groups working directly with the Daesh and al-Qaeda in Jurm, Warduj and Raghistan districts of Badakhshan province.
They add that more than 2,000 Taliban, in addition to these groups, conduct anti-government activities in 22 districts of Badakhshan.
Asadullah Mohammadi, the Police Chief of Badakhshan, said: “In the last week, a number of security forces were killed and others were wounded. The enemy has also suffered casualties. These groups fighting against the Afghan forces are all foreigners.”
Mohammad Ali Ahmadi, First Deputy Chief of Special Operations in the North, said: “Foreign groups in the valley are using advanced weapons against us. Most of these fighters are citizens of Middle Eastern countries. Up to $10,000 has been recovered from the fighters killed in action.”
Meanwhile, residents of the Khustak Valley, Jurm district say that al-Qaeda and Daesh groups, along with their families, have forcibly taken hold of their homes.
“They kicked us out of our homes and located their families. All are black-skinned foreign nationals,” said one resident of Khustak Valley.
Another resident of the valley, said, “There are foreigners who have weapons and ammunition that our government does not have. All of them use dollars. Wherever they take, the people of that locality are kicked out of their homes.”
It is noteworthy that Badakhshan is one of the most insecure provinces in northeastern Afghanistan.
The province has borders with Pakistan, Tajikistan, and China. The Taliban, al-Qaeda, and Daesh have recently taken over Raghistan district and parts of Jurm district too.
During Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi, India and Russia issued a joint statement highlighting their close coordination on Afghanistan. Both sides appreciated the ongoing dialogue between their respective Security Councils and underscored the significance of the Moscow Format meetings in promoting regional stability.
The leaders welcomed counter-terrorism efforts targeting international terrorist groups, including ISIS, ISKP, and their affiliates, expressing confidence in a comprehensive and effective approach to combating terrorism in Afghanistan. They also stressed the urgent need to ensure uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.
India and Russia have maintained close ties on regional security, particularly concerning developments in Afghanistan following the Islamic Emirate’s return to power in 2021. The Moscow Format, a diplomatic platform including Afghanistan’s neighbors, has played a key role in facilitating dialogue on peace, stability, and counter-terrorism in the region.
Five civilians were killed and five others wounded in firing by Pakistani troops on Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province late on Friday, sources told Ariana News.
The attack comes two days after a new round of peace talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan reportedly ended without a breakthrough, though both sides agreed to continue their fragile ceasefire.
The recent talks in Saudi Arabia were the latest in a series of meetings hosted by Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia aimed at easing tensions after deadly clashes near the Durand Line in October. Dozens were killed in the clashes in October.
Islamabad claims that Afghanistan-based militants carried out the recent attacks in Pakistan. Kabul denies the allegations, saying it cannot be held responsible for security inside Pakistan.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, said Afghan forces had responded to the recent Pakistani attacks.
Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi says both Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Sadyr Japarov, the President of Kyrgyzstan, who visited Islamabad on Thursday, expressed their mutual commitment to a peaceful, stable Afghanistan with a sustainable future for the Afghan people.
Speaking in a press conference on Friday, Andrabi stated that both sides agreed that the Islamic Emirate must fulfill its obligations toward the international community and take concrete steps against terrorist groups to address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns.
This comes while the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly emphasized that no terrorist groups operate from Afghan territory and that it will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against any country.
The Islamic Emirate has also stated that Pakistan’s security concerns are an internal issue of that country, and Pakistan itself must take measures to prevent any security incidents.
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