Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP)
Islamic State’s Wilayat Khorasan, referring to the historic region in Central Asia (parts of Afghanistan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan), is also known as Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP) or ISIS-K.
ISIS spokesperson Mohammad al-Adnani accepted the bayyah, or pledge of allegience, from ISKP’s then leader Hafez Saeed Khan, in January 2015, and proclaimed Wilayat Khorasan to be the Afghanistan/Pakistan wing of ISIS Central.
Despite early attempts by the United States and Pakistan to rout the group, ISKP was able to gain a foothold in parts of Afghanistan, including in the Taliban’s southern stronghold Helmand, provinces in the north like Jowzjan, Sar-e-Pul and Farah in the west, and parts of eastern Nangarhar province.
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Mar- 2019 -6 MarchAsia Pacific
Double suicide bombing targets construction company in eastern Afghanistan
Multiple blasts rattled eastern Afghanistan’s Jalalabad with more than a dozen casualties reported as militants appeared to target a private company near the city’s airport
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Feb- 2019 -28 FebruaryAsia Pacific
Afghanistan fears spillover of India-Pakistan tensions
Fearing a spillover from tensions between India and Pakistan, war-ravaged Afghanistan has advised its nuclear-armed neighbors to exercise restraint
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6 FebruaryCommentary
Patience: Islamic State’s new-found focus on Sabr
Islamic State’s recent focus on ‘Sabr’ strategy and related matters of faith may suggest efforts to tackle decreased morale and low motivation
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Jan- 2019 -31 JanuaryAsia Pacific
US withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan – good news for peace?
Ambassador James Dobbins, former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, said three factors explain why Afghanistan remains reliant on the United States for security
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Oct- 2018 -31 OctoberAsia Pacific
Suicide bomber kills Afghanistan police and staff at Kabul’s Pul-e-Charkhi prison
A suicide bomber targeting a bus carrying employees of Afghanistan's biggest prison killed at least seven people
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24 OctoberAsia Pacific
Afghanistan investigates reports of civilians killed in operation against ISIS in Nangarhar
Afghan officials launched an investigation into claims at least 14 civilians were killed in a military ground operation targeting Islamic State in their stronghold in the eastern Nangarhar province.
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12 OctoberCommentary
Afghanistan peace process must tackle Taliban discontent and the allure of ISIS
With the US in the early stages of peace talks with the Taliban, there is a growing urgency for Washington to adopt new military tactics against ISIS and a strong reintegration plan for Taliban fighters
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7 OctoberAsia Pacific
Afghanistan civilian casualties from suicide bomb attacks surge by 46 percent
The number of Afghans killed or wounded in suicide attacks soared 46 percent in the first nine months of 2018, as militants increasingly target civilians, the United Nations said
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Sep- 2018 -12 SeptemberAsia Pacific
Death toll in eastern Afghanistan suicide attack rises to 68
The death toll from a suicide attack on Afghan protesters has soared to 68, as violence flares ahead of elections and a key Islamic holy day
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5 SeptemberAsia Pacific
Afghanistan: Suicide bomber attacks Kabul sports club
A suicide bomber blew himself up inside a sports club in the Afghanistan capital Kabul, officials said, causing casualties
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