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IEA: Some Western circles seeking to magnify Daesh
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), in response to claims about the strengthening of Daesh in Afghanistan, says that some Western circles are seeking to magnify Daesh.
The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says that Daesh has been suppressed in Afghanistan and does not have the ability to launch attacks from Afghanistan against any country.
Recently, the former commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed that Daesh is planning to attack America and other Western countries from Afghanistan.
Following the recent deadly attack on a concert hall near Moscow, the group made headlines around the world.
Many Western media organizations have reported that ISIS-Khorasan – or Daesh in Afghanistan – was responsible for the attack and that the group has gained strength.
In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, the former CENTCOM commander retired General Frank McKenzie said Daesh is planning to attack America and other Western countries from Afghanistan.
He said the group has a “strong desire” to attack the U.S. and other foreign powers and that the threat is only growing.
“We should believe them when they say that. They’re going to try to do it,” McKenzie told ABC News.
“I think the threat is growing,” McKenzie continued, pointing to the dangers from affiliates like ISIS-K after the broader group took responsibility for a deadly attack in Moscow earlier this month. The group also said it was behind a mass bombing in Iran in January.
“It begun to grow as soon as we left Afghanistan, it took pressure off ISIS-K. So I think we should expect further attempts of this nature against the United States as well as our partners and other nations abroad,” McKenzie said. “I think this is inevitable.”
McKenzie also raised the issue of the US troops withdrawal in August 2021 and said a contingent should have been left behind to fight Daesh.
While US President Joe Biden said at the time that an “over-the-horizon capability” to “act quickly and decisively” in Afghanistan would be maintained, McKenzie disputed that.
“In Afghanistan, we have almost no ability to see into that country and almost no ability to strike into that country,” he said.
That is a boon to the Islamic State and similar such militants, he said.
“If you can keep pressure on them … in their homeland and their base, it makes it hard for them to conduct these types of attacks,” he said. “Unfortunately, we no longer place that pressure on them, so they’re free to gain strength, they’re free to plan, they’re free to coordinate.”
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), however, says that some Western circles are seeking to magnify Daesh. The IEA has said Daesh has been suppressed for more than two years and is unable to launch attacks outside of Afghanistan.
However, experts believe that the threat of Daesh will increase with the passage of time, and to fight this group, all countries need to work closely together and repel the threats.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has strongly condemned Friday’s suicide bombing at a Shi’ite mosque in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, which left 31 people dead and 179 others wounded.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement that the Islamic Emirate considers such attacks—which violate the sanctity of religious rites and mosques and target worshippers and civilians—to be contrary to Islamic and human values.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed sympathy with the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded.
A suicide bomber killed at least 31 people and wounded nearly 170 others during Friday prayers at a Shi’ite Muslim mosque in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, Reuters reported, citing police and government officials.
Images from the site showed bloodied bodies lying on the carpeted mosque floor surrounded by shards of glass, debris and panicked worshippers.
Dozens more wounded were lying in the gardens of the Khadija Tul Kubra Imambargah, in a semi-urban area on the outskirts of Islamabad, as people called for help.
Bombings are rare in the heavily guarded capital, although Pakistan has been hit by a rising wave of militancy in the past few years.
“The death toll in the blast has risen. A total of 31 people have lost their lives. The number of wounded brought to hospitals has risen to 169,” Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Memon said in a statement.
Two police officials said the attacker was stopped at the gate of the mosque before detonating the bomb. They asked not to be identified as they were not authorized to speak to the media.
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Central Asian leaders are urging Pakistan to improve Afghanistan policies, says Khalilzad
Former U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has highlighted the strategic importance of Pakistan’s relationship with Afghanistan, noting that visiting Central Asian leaders are likely encouraging Islamabad to strengthen its policies toward Kabul.
In a post on X, Khalilzad emphasized that Central Asian nations have a strategic interest in access to Pakistan and beyond, including the sea, to support their trade and connectivity projects. He pointed out that these countries are particularly focused on developing railways, pipelines, telecommunications, and electricity networks linking Central Asia and Pakistan—a move he said would also serve Pakistan’s interests.
“Of course, Afghanistan’s role is vital to the goal of regional connectivity and development,” Khalilzad said. “Stability in Afghanistan and good Pakistan/Afghanistan relations are the absolute prerequisite.”
He suggested that the Central Asian leaders visiting Islamabad are urging improvements in Pakistan’s Afghanistan policies and expressed hope that Pakistani authorities would listen to these recommendations.
Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that Afghanistan-based militants have carried out recent attacks in Pakistan. Kabul denied the charge, saying it could not be held responsible for security inside Pakistan.
Trade between the two countries remains suspended following a deadly clash near the Durand Line in October.
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