Afghanistan Content Report 

August 9 – 15, 2025

Please note that all items in this issue concern ISIS-K 

Table of contents 

1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletter Edition 508, Published August 14, 2025
2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter
3. ISIS Amaq/Nashir Statements 

Main points (Pro-ISIS Online Chatter) 

Afghanistan 

• A Taliban soldier was killed during “an operation to arrest three militants in the Dara-e-Noor area of Nangarhar.” ISIS claimed credit for this attack the same day.
• Unidentified gunmen murdered a Taliban member in Khost.
• The body of a person murdered with a firearm was found in Balkh.
• One of the individuals accused of participating in the Crocus City Hall attack in Russia allegedly travelled to Afghanistan using a phony passport and received training from ISIS there.
• Fighting allegedly took place in Nuristan, Afghanistan. 

Pakistan 

• Unidentified militants killed nine Pakistani soldiers in Balochistan.
• Unidentified gunmen murdered a tribal leader, Malik Abdullah Shah, in North Waziristan.
• Two Pakistani military trucks were destroyed in an attack with an improvised explosive device (IED) in Nushki, Balochistan.
• Pakistani and American officials met in Islamabad to discuss cooperation in fighting terrorism.
• The U.S. has listed the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as a foreign terrorist organization. 

1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletter Edition 508, Published August 14, 2025 

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

2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter 

• August 10: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram saying that the state-run Russian TASS news agency claimed that one of the individuals suspected of participating in the March 22, 2024, Crocus City Hall attack traveled to Afghanistan using a falsified passport, “where he received terrorist training from militants.” See https://tass.ru/proisshestviya/24748203. 

“Follow-ups. Russian TASS [news] agency: Saidakrami [Murodali] Rachabalizoda, the suspect in the attack on the Crocus City Hall in Moscow, traveled to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan on a forged passport, where he received terrorist training from militants.” 

• August 10: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram showing two Pakistani military trucks that were destroyed in an IED attack on August 5 in Balochistan. 

“Follow-ups. A photo of destroyed Pakistani army vehicles after they were attacked with an IED five days ago in Nushki, Balochistan Province.” 

• August 10: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that unidentified gunmen murdered a member of the Taliban in Khost. See https://khorasantimes.com/?p=17185. 

“Urgent. Gunmen assassinate a Taliban member in the Afghan city of Khost.” 

• August 11: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that fighting occurred in Nuristan, Afghanistan. The post did not say which parties were involved. 

“Urgent. Sounds of explosions and clashes are heard in the Afghan province of Nuristan.” 

• August 11: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the U.S. has listed the Balochistan Liberation Army as a foreign terrorist organization. The post noted that the designation occurred despite the BLA attack on an ISIS-K training camp in March. See 

  https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/08/terrorist-designationof-the-majeed-brigade, https://thebalochistanpost.net/2025/05/iskp-declares-war-onbaloch-pro-independence-armed-groups/. 

“Follow-ups. The United States designates the Pakistani nationalist Balochistan Liberation Army as a ‘criminal’ [sic] organization and imposes sanctions on its leaders. 

“The BLA approached the U.S. several months ago by attacking a militant camp in Balochistan, killing several militants [referring to the March attack on an ISIS-K training camp]. Despite this, the U.S. designated the BLA a criminal organization. 

“Note: The Pakistani BLA is different from the Iranian Balochistan Army of Justice.” 

• August 12: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that unidentified militants killed nine Pakistani soldiers in Balochistan. See https://www.barrons.com/news/militants-kill-9pakistani-soldiers-in-balochistan-govt-official-7e9f7742. 

“Urgent. Nine Pakistani soldiers were killed by militants in Balochistan.” 

• August 12: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that Pakistani and American officials met in Islamabad to discuss cooperation in fighting terrorism. See https://www.nation.com.pk/14Aug-2025/pakistan-us-to-boost-counterterrorism-partnership, https://mofa.gov.pk/pressreleases/pakistan-us-counterterrorism-dialogue-joint-press-statement. 

“Follow-ups. A Pakistani–American meeting was held to discuss the war on terror. The Pakistani government pledged to the United States its relentless efforts to combat terrorism and other nationalist groups, such as the Tehrik-e-Taliban and Baloch militants.” 

• August 14: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that a Taliban soldier was killed during “an operation to arrest three militants in the Dara-e-Noor area of Nangarhar.” ISIS claimed credit for this attack the same day. Media reports indicate that the soldier was not a commander. See https://www.etilaatroz.com/ps/34331. 

“Urgent. Armed clashes erupted between militants and Taliban members during an operation to arrest three militants in the Dara-e-Noor area of Nangarhar, Afghanistan. 

“The clash resulted in the death of a Taliban military commander named Qari Shamsullah.” 

• August 14: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that unidentified gunmen murdered a tribal leader, Malik Abdullah Shah, who was the brother of a Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader, in Miran Shah, North Waziristan. 

“Urgent. Gunmen assassinated Malik Abdullah Shah, a tribal leader and the brother of a Jamiat 

Ulema-e-Islam leader, Hafiz Noorullah Shah, in the Miran Shah area of North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.” 

• August 14: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the body of a person murdered with a firearm was found in Balkh. 

“Urgent. The body of a person killed by gunfire was found in the Nahr-e Shahi District in the Afghan province of Balkh.” 

• August 15: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that a Pakistani military helicopter crashed in Bajaur District. News reports noted that the helicopter crashed during search-and-rescue operations after flash floods in the region. See https://www.dawn.com/news/1931033. 

“Urgent. A Pakistani army helicopter crashed while on a military mission in Bajaur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.” 

3. ISIS Amaq/Nashir Statements 

• August 14: ISIS claims to have killed a Taliban soldier and wounded another in an attack on a patrol in Dara-e-Noor, Nangarhar. 

“Khorasan Province. By the grace of God Almighty, the soldiers of the Caliphate clashed with a patrol of the apostate Taliban militia in the Dara-e-Noor area of Nangarhar yesterday, using machine guns. This resulted in the death of a [Taliban] member and the injury of another, praise be to God.” 

• August 15: ISIS claims to have executed an alleged Taliban spy in Kama District, Nangarhar, on August 12. 

“Khorasan Province. By the grace of God Almighty, the soldiers of the Caliphate killed a spy affiliated with the apostate Taliban militia in the Kama area of Nangarhar last Tuesday, after capturing him earlier, praise be to God.”