Afghanistan Content Report

August 3–9, 2024

Please note all items in this issue concern ISIS-K

Table of contents

1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletter Edition 455, Published August 8, 2024
2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter
3. ISIS Nashir/Amaq Statements
4. ISIS-K Linked al-Azaim Pashto Poster, “The Allies of the Infidels,” Released on August 5, 2024
5. Pro-ISIS-K Poster, “Taliban Followers of Dajjal in the War Against Islam,” Released on August 9, 2024
6. Pro-ISIS-K Urdu Poster, “Doha Resolution,” Released on August 9, 2024

Main points (Pro-ISIS online chatter)

• The Taliban have received funding from the international community and continue to seek to please international donors.
• The Taliban want friendship and cooperation with Russia, the United States, and China. 
• The Taliban lie about attacks committed against them and seek to suppress the flow of information.
• Several members of Pakistan's security forces have been killed in different attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

• Taliban soldiers desecrated a Quran in Kunduz. 

   

1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletter Edition 455, Published August 8, 2024

• There were no ISIS-K news items in this week’s al-Naba.

2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter

• August 3: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram offering more information regarding the ISIS-K July 31 attack on a bus carrying Taliban personnel in Kabul. 

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“Reports say that last Wednesday, a military bus carrying Taliban personnel was targeted by motorcycle-riding militants in the Qala-e-Haider area of ​​the Paghman district of Kabul, and five Taliban and 17 others were killed in the shooting. Five of them were seriously injured, and the rest were discharged from Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan [National Military] Hospital after initial treatment. 

“A source told Zawia News that one of the three attackers was shot and killed on the spot in the firefight against the Taliban. Local people have also seen this scene.

“This car of Taliban employees was going from Kabul to Maidan Wardak.”

• August 3: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that Pakistani special forces and counter-terrorism police killed four militants in Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“#Pakistani security forces have said that four militants were killed in the joint operation of SSG [Special Service Group] and CTD [Counter Terrorism Department] in the Mardan area of ​​Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. SSG stands for Pakistan Special Service Group Commando, while CTD stands for Counter-Terrorism Department, a specially trained Pakistani police force established specifically to eradicate militancy in the country.”

• August 3: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the Afghan Taliban were carrying out patrols against the Pakistani Taliban. The post mockingly refers to the Afghan Taliban as ‘good’ and the Pakistani Taliban as ‘bad’ based on their level of hostility with the government of Pakistan. 

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“The ‘good Taliban’ supplied by #Pakistan's security forces are seen patrolling against the ‘bad Taliban’ of the Tehreek-e-Taliban fighting against Pakistani forces in Waziristan.”

• August 4: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that a recent SIGAR (Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction) report noted that the global community had donated $7 billion to Afghanistan in the last three years. Please see https://tolonews.com/business-190079. 

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“In its new report, the U.S. Special Investigation Agency for the Reconstruction of Afghanistan or ‘SEGAR’ [sic] wrote that the international community has contributed $7 billion to Afghanistan in the last three years.”

• August 5: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that unidentified militants executed an individual in North Waziristan on the charge of spying. Please note the image has been pixelated by the researcher.

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“Militants have killed a person in a raid, on the charge of espionage, in Mir Ali district of #North Waziristan.”

• August 5: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram alleging that a fire occurred at 1 a.m. at a traffic facility in Kabul. The post claims that the Taliban did not comment on the causes of the fire or how much damage occurred.

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“This incident [a fire] occurred last night around 1:00 in the traffic headquarters of the 4th security district of #Kabul city. So far, nothing has been said about the nature of the fire and the damage caused by the incident. The Taliban militia has not yet said anything about it.”

• August 5: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that Taliban security forces killed a local man in the pistachio-growing region of Farkhar district in Takhar. 

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“Local sources in #Takhar reported that the security forces of the Taliban killed a man in the pistachio forests of #Farkhar district. The name of this person is Abdul Qayyum, and he was killed in the village of Farhangurd in the district of Farkhar on Friday night last week.”

• August 5: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that a Pakistani police officer was killed in an armed attack in Karak district, ​Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“Police officer Tariq Khan was killed in an armed attack in #Karak area of​​ Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

• August 5: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the U.S. has sent the Taliban $239 million in U.S. aid since the August 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. According to the organization Judicial Watch, the U.S. allegedly sent grants to local entities in Afghanistan without conducting proper vetting. The post claims that “there is no evidence that this money will be used against terrorism or for any other purpose.”

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“According to a recent report by the American media, the United States has so far paid $239 million to the Taliban. Such a mistake is not possible, and these dollars have been given to the Taliban for the war against terrorism.

“Some American analysts have strongly criticized this and said that the tax money of the American people is cruelly given to a group to fight against our enemy, but there is no evidence that this money will be used against terrorism or for any other purpose.

“It is worth noting that the United States approved joint efforts with the Taliban against the Khorasan branch of ISIS.”

• August 6: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that unknown militants in South Waziristan killed a member of the Pakistani Frontier Corps. 

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“An officer of Pakistan’s security forces, Nouman Khan, was killed by armed militants in the border region of South Waziristan.”

• August 8: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that unidentified gunmen killed three people in a tent in Sar-e Pol province. 

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“#Sar-e Pol province, in the first district area of ​​the center, unknown #gunmen shot dead three people while they were sitting in a tent. It is said that the armed attackers fled the area without any fear.”

• August 8 Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that an Independence Day celebration was attacked in Quetta with hand grenades. The Balochi separatists reportedly committed this attack. 

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“Two hand grenades were thrown during the Independence Day celebrations under the supervision of the army in Quetta, Balochistan.”

• August 8: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram regarding the alleged robbery of armored cars in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“#Dera Ismail Khan. Police officials say that militants hijacked a private bank car in the Yarik area and then set it on fire.

“It is said that the armed men have taken 20 million rupees with them from this car. A few days before this incident, the armed men had hijacked a bank car in the Daraban area, took 50 million rupees from it, and set it on fire.”

• August 8: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that a Pakistani soldier has been killed in Parachinar, the site of recent violence between Sunnis and Shiites. 

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“This #Pakistani soldier has been killed in #Kurram area of ​​#Parachinar.”

• August 8: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that in Kunduz, Taliban soldiers desecrated a Quran by throwing it on the ground. The post claims that three civilians were killed and many others were injured or taken prisoner. The Telegram post is copied from Zawia News and is available here: https://x.com/ZawiaNews/status/1821404036601401653.

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“In #Kunduz province of #Afghanistan, #Taliban militia attacked Muslim homes. Local scholars claim that Taliban commander Jalali desecrated the Holy Quran by taking it from the hands of women and throwing it on the ground. In this incident, three civilians were killed, and ten others were injured. In addition to this, 20 prisoners have also been captured by the Taliban.”

• August 8: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that militants have damaged roads to slow down the convoys of Pakistani security forces and attack them with explosives.

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“Militants have dug up the roads in the Mir Ali area of ​​North Waziristan so that Pakistani security convoys cannot pass quickly, and they [militants] can easily detonate mines on the roads.”

• August 9: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that UN Under Secretary General for Counter-Terrorism Vladimir Voronkov informed the Security Council that ISIS-K’s finances and logistical capabilities have increased in the last six months. 

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“The Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism said in front of the Security Council, Thursday, that in the past six months, ‘the financial and logistical strength of ISIS Khorasan’ increased.”

• August 9: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that unidentified militants attacked checkpoints in Peshawar district, killing 12 Pakistani soldiers and injuring seven others.

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“Last night, militants clashed with Pakistani security positions in the Khyber district of Peshawar, in the Dara Adamkhel region, resulting in the immediate death of 12 Pakistani soldiers. Seven others were wounded, and the rest fled from the area. Armed men attacked checkpoints, and many weapons were also seized.”

• August 9: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that unidentified militants killed six police officers and injured eight others in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“6 policemen were killed and eight others were injured in an attack by militants in Orakzai district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

• August 9: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that unidentified militants killed two soldiers in South Waziristan and then attacked a rescue convoy, killing three additional soldiers and wounding several others.

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“Militants ambushed Pakistani soldiers in Azam Warsak in South Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing two soldiers.

“Later, a convoy of 20 vehicles of the Pakistani forces came to the rescue [only] to face another attack by the militants, [which resulted in the] killing of three soldiers. Several other soldiers were injured.”

• August 9: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Taliban want diplomatic relations with other countries. The post noted that Russia, the U.S., and China have varying degrees of friendly relations with the Taliban when it comes to fighting against ISIS-K in Afghanistan. 

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“Taliban_Afghanistan.

“①: The Russian President Putin’s clear admission that the #Taliban are their allies in the war against terrorism.

“②: The American President Biden’s bold confession that he had expectations from the #Taliban. They are supporting them in the fight against terrorism.

“③: The acknowledgment of the Chinese Communist regime that the #Taliban are their collaborators in suppressing terrorists and are their close friends.

“④: Repeated confessions of the Taliban leaders that they are interested in friendship and constructive relations with all Western countries, and now is the time to develop the #Taliban_economy based on these relations.”

• August 9: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram questioning whether the Taliban are aware of the abuses against Afghan refugees in Iran.

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“Do the Shiite brothers, the Taliban militia, not see this horror that is happening to Afghan refugees in Iran!?”

• August 9: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that a Pakistani police officer was killed on Rashid Minhas Road in Karachi. 

[Please note that the message below is nearly identical in both Pashto and Arabic. Only one translation is provided, rather than the double translation in both languages.]

“A policeman named #Shabir_Ahmed was killed in an armed attack on Rashid Minhas Road in #Karachi.”

3. ISIS Nashir/Amaq Statements

• There were no Nashir/Amaq claims of responsibility for Afghanistan between August 3 and August 9.

4. ISIS-K Linked al-Azaim Pashto Poster, “The Allies of the Infidels,” Released on August 5, 2024

Summary:

• President Putin called the Taliban Russia’s allies in the fight against terrorism. Russia has killed millions of Muslims around the world. 
• President Biden has also called the Taliban partners in the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan. 
• The Taliban collaborate with the Chinese government, which has oppressed Uighurs in East Turkestan.
• The Taliban want friendship and cooperation with all countries of the world, regardless of how the latter’s governments treat Muslims.
• The Taliban only care about the Afghan economy.

5. Pro-ISIS-K Urdu Poster, “Taliban Followers of Dajjal in the War Against Islam,” Released on August 9, 2024

Summary:

• Many have claimed to be fighting for righteousness while instead misleading their followers.
• The first generation of the Taliban fought against invaders and to institute religious rule.
• After this first generation, the Taliban were taken over by disbelievers.

• Now, the Taliban want to join the United Nations and pursue a path of friendship with all countries.

  

   

6. Pro-ISIS-K Urdu Poster, “Doha Resolution,” Released on August 9, 2024

Summary:

• During negotiations in Doha, the Taliban promised to attack ISIS-K.
• The Taliban are now openly seeking to fool the world and lead people astray.
• The Taliban instituted patriotism as a system in Afghanistan.
  • This is antithetical to religious rule.
• The Taliban protect religious minority groups in Afghanistan.
• The Taliban outlawed religiously mandated fighting outside of Afghanistan’s borders.