BY BILL ROGGIO AND CALEB WEISS
Scores of jihadists from both the Taliban together with the Islamic State’s Khorasan province receive got been killed inwards several skirmishes inwards northern Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan over the past times 2 weeks. The clashes receive got mainly taken house inwards the northern provinces of Jawzjan together with Sar-e-Pul, areas inwards which the 2 receive got previously fought. The ongoing fighting betwixt the Islamic State together with the Taliban inwards Jawzjan together with Sar-i-pul has hampered the Taliban’s drive inwards the northern provinces, every bit it has forced it to divert forces to bargain amongst the upstart jihadist group. Additionally, the Islamic State’s mightiness to volume together with occasionally command territory threatens the Taliban’s narrative that it is the exclusively legitimate opposition to the Afghan government.
The Taliban has had a like work amongst the Islamic State inwards Nangarhar province, where the 2 groups often clash inwards a handful of districts piece aslo battling Afghan together with USA forces.
Fighting renewed betwixt the jihadist groups before this calendar month after Islamic State militants stormed Taliban positions inwards Darzab, a hotly contested district which is no stranger to battle amid these groups. After capturing a Taliban-held town, the Islamic State then beheaded 10 captured Taliban members. As a result, the Taliban targeted Islamic State positions inwards Darzab together with Qush Tepa, every bit good every bit around other contested district inwards Jawzjan on July 12.
Then on July 16, at to the lowest degree half-dozen Taliban fighters together with iv from the Islamic State were reportedly killed inwards clashes inwards Darzab. Yesterday, another skirmish betwixt the two left a farther xv jihadists dead inwards the Sayyad district of Sar-i-Pul.
The Islamic State also captured a Taliban commander, Mullah Burjan, together with later beheaded him after around other clash inwards Darzab yesterday. Afghan officials have reported that after the beheading, increased Taliban skirmishes amongst Islamic State-loyal militants receive got occurred inwards Darzab. The same officials receive got said at to the lowest degree 250 jihadists receive got been killed inwards the fighting, however, the accuracy of this approximate is questionable.
Clashes betwixt the Taliban together with the Islamic State have long been reported inwards northern Afghanistan. Earlier this year, thousands of civilians were displaced due to fighting inwards Jawzjan, which also took house final year.
Both the Taliban together with the Islamic State receive got fought for command over Darzab together with Qush Tepa. In June 2017, several fighters on both sides were killed every bit Darzab changed hands betwixt Islamic State, Taliban, together with Afghan command multiple times. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 calendar month prior, at to the lowest degree 100 militants from both sides were reportedly killed inwards clashes inwards Darzab.
The Islamic State’s presence inwards Jawzjan was farther cemented inwards 2017 when Qari Hikmat, a prominent Taliban commander, together with 300 of his men defected from the Taliban to the Islamic State. Late final year, Taliban forces clashed amongst Hikmat’s men numerous times inwards both Darzab together with Qush Tepa.
The USA military machine struck a blow to the Islamic State’s Khorasan province inwards Apr when it killed Hikmat inwards an airstrike inwards Faryab province. Hikmat, who also was a leader inwards the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan before joining the Islamic State, was an influential leader inwards Darzab together with was the commutation facilitator “for external back upwards together with unusual fighters from Central Asian states into Afghanistan,” according to the USA military. He has since been replaced past times Mawlavi Habibul Rahman.
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