Conflicting news about ISIL/DAESH's resurgence in Afghanistan has once again raised the issue of the group's capacity and capabilities
Source: Sputnik Tajikistan
In a meeting with leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) officials, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke of increasing the threat of this terrorist group to countries in the region. But "Taliban" authorities always say, that DAESH is not a serious threat and the group has no bases in Afghanistan.
However, what is the point?
Sputnik Tajikistan has obtained some reports, which provide significant information on the group's "nests" in the Nangarhar and Nuristan provinces of Afghanistan. These reports confirm DAESH's presence in Afghanistan and deny the Taliban's claims.
Open arms and new programs
In November 2019, the Afghan army launched a large-scale operation in the Achin district of Nangarhar, killing dozens of DAESH fighters. About 300 of them, 243 of whom were citizens of Pakistan, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Iran, with about 700 women and children, were surrendered.
At the time, Afghan officials announced that the DAESH had been completely suppressed in Afghanistan and that its remnants had fled to Kunar province. But after the "Taliban" came to power, the group returned to the scene.
Nangarhar - the main base of "Khorasan Province" of DAESH. A Sputnik Tajikistan source, whose name and position are withheld, quoted Qari Mansourullah, an official of the "Khorasan Daish" in Nangarhar, reports, that the group had renewed its command and launched a new program.
"The activities of this group are currently limited to bombings, suicide attacks and targeted assassinations, and it does not have a plan of offensive operations. It has not carried out any offensive operations in any district of the province and is not even thinking about it. By the spring of 2022, it will have focused more on such activities," the report said.
The other part of the DAESH-Khorasan (D-K) plan is to work on Taliban commanders and leaders to recruit them and then launch an offensive plan to seize a larger territory in one operation.
The bombings, suicide attacks and targeted assassinations that have been taking place in Nangarhar for more than five months not only confirm the fact of this report, which was prepared in mid-September but also the return of this terrorist monster. Most likely, this group is planning to overthrow Nangarhar and establish a fake government in Afghanistan.
Achin activities
D-K made a kind of "personnel appointments" last summer, appointing its officials for Nangarhar province.
According to these changes, Hafez Gol Ahmad, known as Mirvali, 35, has been appointed in charge of anti-suicide attacks, bombings and targeted assassinations, and Mufti Amirgol, the financial director of D-K in Nangarhar province. Both are Arakzai Pashtuns from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, and currently live in Achin district of Nangarhar province.
"Hafez Gol Ahmad has a 20-member armed group and better financial resources. He manages the explosions and suicide bombings in Nangarhar and the assassination of "Taliban" members in the province," - the source said.
Hafez Jamal, better known as Hafez Baryalai, the intelligence chief of D-K in Nangarhar, and Mullah Kaftar Khan, known as Musa, who had previously served in this position, has been appointed his deputy. Both are residents of Achin district of Nangarhar province.
Qari Abed al-Khorasani has been appointed head of the D-K military chief in Nangarhar, who is currently located in the Dehbala district of the province.
"ISIL has allocated a lot of money for Nangarhar. Since the fall of the previous government and the rise to power of the "Taliban" have purchased large quantities of weapons, most of which are US M4 and have stockpiled vast amounts of ammunition. Most of these weapons was bought from "Taliban" commanders, who have acquired them from previous government forces. Members of the D-K have not personally attacked any division or military base, nor have acquired any weapons," - the report said.
Qari Mansoorullah himself is the special assistant of Qari Abed Al-Khorasani, and the same person said that "D-K" is creating a 500-strong strike unit, equipped with modern weapons, and later when offensive operations begin in Nangarhar, will begin with this group.
D-K is very confident that the "Taliban" will not be able to confront its forces. It is very well equipped and will start its offensive operation with strength. More reinforcements will also arrive in Nangarhar from the northern and southern Waziristan provinces," - the report said.
"Iraqi cadres"
Nuristan is another refuge of "D-K" in Afghanistan. The group has announced its new leadership in the province on August 23, 2021.
Mufti Mohammad Yaqub, or Mufti Yaqub, 45, a resident of Zargol Valley, Barge Matal district, Nuristan province, has been appointed as the commander in Nuristan province, and is now is living in this district.
Mufti Yaqub has served in Iraq for the "Islamic State" of Iraq and has had excellent relations with terrorists in Central Asian countries, including Tajik commander Halimov. He has 130 guns and has good relations with the "Taliban" in Nuristan. He has no problem or never fought with them. Yaqub coordinates with "Al-Qaeda" and has met with its members in Nuristan," - the report said.
Mawlavi Abdul Wahid, better known as Mawlavi Meyar, a resident of Kudand village in Wont Waigal district of Nuristan province, who was in charge of D-K in Nuristan in 2019 and 2020, is currently appointed deputy of Mufti Yaqub and lives in his hometown.
"His group consists of 170 gunmen stationed in Kamdish and Wont Waigal districts," - the report said.
Mawlavi Bashir, a native of Doab district in Nuristan, has been appointed in charge of D-K intelligence in the province. He, along with Mullah Yakub, was in the Iraq war and has not been in Nuristan.
Mawlavi Ahmad Shah, 48, a native of Parun - the capital of Nuristan. He had previously fought for the group in Nangarhar, Kunar and Nuristan provinces, is now in charge of recruiting in Nuristan, and currently lives in Wont Waigal district.
"D-K" military commanders in Nuristan: Noor Ahmad, known as Nuro, was in charge of D-K military commander in Nuristan province in 2019 and 2020. He has 35 armed men and operates under the command of Mawlavi Meyar. Mawlawi Mohammad Tahir, a native of Barge Matal, has 50 gunmen and is the military commander of the group in this district.
Mawlavi Abdul Salam, a native of Diwana Baba village in Barge Matal district, has been appointed military chief of Mandul district, who currently has 50 gunmen. Another is Qari Bilal, a native of Parun, the commander of a group of fifteen.
This organization is intended by "DK" in Nuristan. All these people are present and active in this province. In general, its forces in Nuristan consist of 350 armed men and are intensely engaged in recruiting to increase their numbers, because until their numbers increase, it will not be impossible to capture the area and infiltrate, and to confront the "Taliban", - the report said.
Behind "appointments"
The above information indicates that the rise of the "Taliban" in Afghanistan has opened the hand of D-K for operations in Afghanistan. On the other hand, the "new appointments" of this group is the clear reason for the reports that its commanders and fighters were thrown from the battlefields of the Middle East to Afghanistan.
But the logical question is, why do not the "Taliban" try to destroy ISIL despite having enough forces and facilities in these provinces?
Former Afghan intelligence officer, says to Sputnik Tajikistan, that Talib and Daesh have one mission, except that one flag is white and the other black.
"The "leader" of the "D-K" is a person named "Shahab al-Muhajir", also known by the pseudonym "Sanaullah Sadegh". He was initially a member of "Al-Qaeda" and later one of the commanders of the Haqqani Network. Mohajer, who was hired by the network, also carried out the August bombings in Kabul. The Haqqani Network is run by Pakistani intelligence. Muhajir and the D-K Command Center are located in the Arkazay Agency of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan," - he said.
D-Khad announced its presence in 2015 at the Pakistani Arkazay Agency of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, led by Hafez Saeed Khan, the former commander of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. Shahab al-Muhajir is the seventh leader, and it cannot be said to be the last.
* The organization is under UN sanctions for terrorist activities
