Afghanistan Content Report: December 14–December 20, 2024

Afghanistan Content Report

December 14–December 20, 2024

Please note all items in this issue concern ISIS-K

Table of contents

  1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletters Edition 474, Published December 19, 2024
  2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter
  3. ISIS Amaq/Nashir Statements
  4. ISIS-K Linked Al-Azaim Poster Released on December 14, 2024

 

Main points (Pro-ISIS Online Chatter)

Afghanistan

  • The Taliban has carried out public floggings in Kunduz, Paktika, and Paktia provinces.
  • Georgette Gagnon, the deputy special representative of the secretary-general for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), visited Kandahar province and met with the deputy governor, Mohammad Sadeq Enqelabi.
  • There were two explosions in Parwan on December 19, including one outside Bagram Airfield. There was an additional explosion the same day in Kabul.
    • Four Taliban soldiers were killed and five were wounded in the Parwan attacks, according to reports.
  • A doctor was reportedly killed by known individuals in Nangarhar.
  • The Taliban’s system of taxation is unjust, multilayered, and opaque despite the poverty of the Afghan people.
  • Recent arrests have shown that ISIS has infiltrated both the “civilian and security institutions” in Afghanistan.
  • The Taliban have announced that they will build a residential area for diplomats in Kabul.
  • “Tajik officials and security experts” are concerned that an increasingly worsening economy in the country will lead to further ISIS-K recruitment.
  • The Taliban fired 40 university professors, accusing them of being “Wahhabi Salafis.”
  • The Taliban have announced that they are recruiting men between the ages of 18 and 22 from four districts in Takhar province. 

Pakistan

  • Pakistani Taliban leader Ali Rahman, a.k.a. Maulana Taha, was killed by Pakistani soldiers.
  • Unidentified gunmen killed Abdul Ghaffar Baloch, a leader in Pakistan’s National Party, in Chatikan, Panjgur.
  • A Pakistani police officer was killed in Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
  • Unidentified gunmen killed a Pakistani soldier and injured three others in an attack in Shangla, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
  • Three members of Pakistan’s security forces were killed in an attack with explosives in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
  • An unidentified gunman killed a member of Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior in Bajaur.

 

1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletters Edition 474, Published December 19, 2024

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

 

2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter

  • December 14: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Pakistani military claims that since December 9, they have killed 43 members of the Baloch Liberation Army and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“#Persian. Pakistani Army public relations:

“In the past five days, 43 members of the Baloch Liberation Army and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have been killed in the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

 

  • December 14: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that three people were flogged for the crime of sodomy in Aliabad, Kunduz.

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

“#Arabic. Three people were flogged on charges of ‘sodomy’ in Aliabad district of Kunduz province.”

 

  • December 14: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the deputy special representative of the secretary-general for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Georgette Gagnon, visited Kandahar province and met with the deputy governor, Mohammad Sadeq Enqelabi, there. 

“The Taliban-controlled Bakhtar News Agency reported on Saturday that Georgette Gagnon, deputy head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), visited Kandahar province.

“During the visit, Ms. Gagnon met with Mohammad Sadeq Enqelabi, the Taliban’s deputy governor of Kandahar, the agency reported.”

 

  • December 14: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that unidentified gunmen killed Abdul Ghaffar Baloch, a leader in Pakistan’s National Party, in Chatikan, Panjgur, as he left a mosque.

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

“#Arabic. Abdul Ghaffar Baloch, a local leader of a nationalist party in Pakistan [Pakistan’s National Party], was killed by unknown gunmen in the Chatikan area of ​​Panjgur, according to Pakistani security authorities.

“The Express Balochistan newspaper reported on Saturday, December 14, citing security sources, that Baloch was attacked on Friday evening.

“The authorities added that Abdul Ghaffar Baloch was shot while leaving the mosque after performing Asr [afternoon] prayers, and gunmen on a motorcycle attacked him and fled the scene.”

 

  • December 15: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Taliban falsely claimed that Khalil al-Rahman Haqqani was killed in a mosque while performing the noon prayer. The post claimed that the attacker performed the noon prayer himself, then afterward approached Haqqani outside his office and detonated his explosive. The post noted that this was a “great failure of the [Taliban] militia in fighting terrorism.”

“Follow-ups. A BBC report from the Afghan capital of Kabul talked about the details of the targeting of the Taliban minister a few days ago by terrorists, which the militia’s followers spread [the idea] that the attack took place inside a mosque while they were performing the noon prayer, while the truth is that Haqqani was not in the mosque at all and the attacker prayed the noon prayer, then he got up and waited for the minister outside the office and called the minister by deceiving him [sic], and when he approached him, he carried out his attack.

“The report says that the operation highlighted the great failure of the militia in fighting terrorism, as they promised America to fight terrorism on its behalf.”

 

  • December 16: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that a Pakistani police officer was killed in Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“Urgent. An armed attack targeted a Pakistani policeman in the Karak district of ​​Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which led to his immediate death.”

 

  • December 16: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Taliban held “a condolence council” for Haqqani in their embassy in the United Arab Emirates.

“#Monitoring. Taliban militia holds a condolence council for Haqqani in the UAE inside its embassy building.”

 

  • December 16: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that residents of Kandahar have complained about taxation under the Taliban. The post noted that employees of municipalities, provincial treasuries, and other government units have demanded taxes while standing outside of residential and commercial buildings. The post also stated that the Taliban have not revealed how taxes are spent.

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

“#Persian. Residents of Kandahar complain about forced taxes by the Taliban under various pretexts and say that despite unemployment and economic problems, employees of the municipality, Mustofiat [provincial treasury], and other departments from time to time stand in front of their houses and shops and demand taxes.

“People consider it difficult to pay the tax set by the Taliban and have demanded reforms in this field. They also emphasize that this group should clarify where these taxes are spent.”

 

  • December 16: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that Ahmad Zia Siraj, the former head of the previous government’s National Directorate of Security, noted that recent arrests conducted by the Taliban have shown that ISIS has infiltrated both the “civilian and security institutions” in the country.

“#Arabic. #Afghanistan. Ahmad Zia Siraj, the former government’s security chief, says recent Taliban arrests show that ISIS has ‘deep penetration’ into the group’s civilian and security institutions. He adds that despite the arrests, the Taliban denies ISIS’s threat in Afghanistan.”

 

  • December 16: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that patrols and identification checks have increased in Kandahar after ISIS killed Haqqani.

“#Arabic. #Kandahar. Sources say Taliban patrols in Kandahar have increased following the assassination of Khalil [al-Rahman] Haqqani, the Taliban’s minister for refugee affairs. According to the sources, the Taliban are checking the identities, locations, and jobs of individuals at checkpoints.”

 

  • December 16: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the head of the Awami National Party of Pakistan claimed that the government controls less than half of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and that the TTP’s control in the province has increased.

“#Arabic. #Pakistan. Aimal Wali Khan, the leader of the Awami National Party of Pakistan, said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is in its worst condition and that the Pakistani Taliban has expanded its control in this province. In his talk to Geo News, he claimed that the Pakistani security forces do not control half of Khyber [Pakhtunkhwa].”

 

  • December 16: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that private and government schools and colleges would be closed in Punjab and Islamabad on December 16 due to an unspecified security situation. See https://www.dawn.com/news/1878915. 

“#Arabic. #Pakistan. Pakistani authorities have announced that all government and private colleges and schools in Islamabad and Punjab province will be closed on Monday, December 26 [sic]. The Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported, citing its sources, that this measure was taken due to the ‘security situation.’”

 

  • December 16: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that propagandist / social media influencer “General Mobeen” (Mobeen Khan) left Afghanistan after a dispute with the Taliban. The Taliban previously arrested Mobeen Khan.

“Follow-ups. The escape of the ‘senior military leader’ in the Taliban militia, General Mobeen, from Afghanistan after a wide dispute with the militia.”

 

  • December 16: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram providing an alleged update on propagandist/social media influencer “General Mobeen.” Please note that Mobeen Khan is not a senior Taliban member.

Text: “General Mobeen, a senior member of the Taliban movement, fled from Afghanistan because of the atrocities and injustice he faced at the hands of the Taliban. Note: Taliban members who are truly committed to Islamic law have begun to realize that the current Taliban regime only operates as a US-backed anti-terrorist militia in Afghanistan and is actually operating under U.S. influence.”

“Update. An Afghan journalist talks about General Mobeen.”

 

  • December 16: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Taliban flogged an individual in Paktika province after a local court found him guilty of theft.

“Taliban flogged a person in Paktika province. 

“#Arabic. The Taliban Supreme Court announced that a person was flogged in the Charbaran area of Paktika province on charges of ‘theft.’

“The court said that this person was flogged today, Monday, December 26 [sic], based on the ruling of the first-instance court in the Charbaran area.”

 

  • December 17: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that unidentified gunmen killed a Pakistani soldier and injured three others in an attack in Shangla, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

“Gunmen attack Pakistani military outpost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to reports, gunmen attacked the Pakistani military outpost in Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to initial reports, one Pakistani soldier has been killed and three others injured. According to reports, fierce fighting is still ongoing at the time of filing this report. Pakistani security officials have also confirmed the attack.”

 

  • December 17: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Taliban have declared their intention to build a residential area for diplomats in Kabul. The post noted that “no country has [formally] recognized” the Taliban.

“Building a residential city for foreign diplomats in Kabul.

“#Arabic. The Taliban’s Ministry of Urban Development and Housing announced the construction of a residential city for foreign diplomats in Kabul.

“The Taliban’s statements about establishing a diplomatic city come at a time when no country has recognized the group’s government, and the group is facing a legitimacy crisis.”

 

  • December 18: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram criticizing Sirajuddin Haqqani for meeting with Hamid Karzai, who offered his condolences for Khalil al-Rahman Haqqani’s death.

“Entertainment. After the statement of al-Qaeda condemning the death of Khalil [al-Rahman] Haqqani, Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president appointed by NATO, visits Sirajuddin Haqqani, the interior minister of the Taliban militia, to offer his condolences for the death of his uncle Khalil [al-Rahman] Haqqani.

“Glory be to Him who united the Brotherhood, al-Qaeda, secularists, Americans, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the [United Arab] Emirates, Qatar, Turkey, Britain, France, Russia, China, India, and Pakistan in the love of Khalil [al-Rahman] Haqqani.”

 

  • December 18: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that “Tajik officials and security experts” are concerned that an increasingly worsening economy in the country will lead to further ISIS-K recruitment.

“#Arabic. Tajik officials and security experts said that the deteriorating economic situation in Tajikistan provides a suitable environment for recruiting members for the ISIS-Khorasan organization. According to security analysts, dozens of Tajik citizens have joined the ISIS-Khorasan branch in Afghanistan.”

 

  • December 18: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that three members of Pakistan’s security forces were killed in an attack with explosives in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

“#Arabic. Three members of the Pakistani security forces were killed in an explosion in the Dera Ismail Khan area of ​​Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported. According to the report, the explosion on Tuesday targeted a security forces vehicle in the Daraban area of ​​Dera [Ismail Khan].”

 

  • December 18: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that eight people in Paktia province had been publicly flogged and sentenced to prison terms for “theft, murder, kidnapping, and extramarital relations.”

“#Arabic. A Taliban court announced that eight people in Paktia province have been publicly punished for ‘theft, murder, kidnapping, and extramarital relations.’

“The court added that these people were punished with 39 lashes and imprisonment for a period ranging from two to ten years.”

 

“Follow-ups. Local newspaper: Yesterday, the Afghan Taliban militia, which is spreading Sufism, dismissed 40 university professors because it described them as ‘Wahhabi Salafis.’

“It is noteworthy that the Taliban militia issued a decision to dismiss everyone who holds Salafi thought or what it shares with the Shiites in calling them ‘Wahhabism’ [sic].

“A copy of it is not for the leadership of al-Qaeda, as these are your brothers, and there is no blame on them.

“But for the soldiers and for those who these rumor mongers deceive.”

 

  • December 18: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that Anas Haqqani claimed that “ISIS has no roots in Afghanistan.”

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

“Anas Haqqani: ISIS has no roots in Afghanistan.”

 

  • December 18: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that Taliban head Hibatullah Akhundzada requested that three Taliban senior leaders watch out for threats to their security from ISIS. 

    See https://www.afintl.com/en/202412192790.

“Three senior commanders close to Mullah Hibatullah [Akhundzada] on ISIS radar.

“#Farsi. Following the assassination of Khalil [al-Rahman] Haqqani, the Taliban leader [Hibatullah Akhundzada] has asked Abdul Ahad Talib, the commander of his special forces, Mullah Shirin, the governor of Kandahar, and Yousuf Wafa, the governor of Balkh, to pay attention to their security.”

 

  • December 18: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that an unidentified gunman killed a member of Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior in Bajaur.

“Urgent. An armed attack targeted a member of the Pakistani Ministry of Interior in the city of Bajaur, which led to his immediate death.”

 

  • December 19: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the U.S. acknowledged that they are “dealing with the Taliban in Afghanistan to achieve its [the U.S.’s] interests.”

“The United States is dealing with the Taliban in Afghanistan to achieve its interests.

“#Arabic. Matthew Miller, spokesman for the U.S. Department of State, said that his country is dealing with the Taliban in Afghanistan to achieve its interests.

“In the latest statement by the U.S. Department of State on Afghanistan, it stated:

“‘The United States remains determined to support the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan and will continue to stand with all Afghans to support their full, equal, and meaningful participation in all aspects of society.’”

 

  • December 19: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that there was an explosion at the gate of Bagram Airfield. 

“#Urgent. An explosion rocks the gate of Bagram Airfield in the Afghan province of Parwan. Note that the airport is a military base that the Americans handed over to the Taliban militia and contains a notorious prison to which the militia transferred prisoners.”

 

  • December 19: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that there was an explosion in the Saraj area of Parwan. 

“#Urgent. A second explosion rocks Mount Saraj in the Afghan province of Parwan.”

 

  • December 19: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that there was an explosion in Kabul. The post noted that this was the third reported explosion in a short period. The other two were in Parwan.

“#Urgent. A third explosion rocks the sixth security zone in the Afghan capital of Kabul.”

 

  • December 19: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that four Taliban soldiers were killed and five were wounded in the Parwan attacks.

“Update. Four Taliban militants killed, five others injured in two attacks in Parwan city.”

 

  • December 20: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that Pakistani soldiers are fighting with Baloch separatists near Kharan, Balochistan.

“#Persian. #Pakistan. Clashes between Pakistani security forces and Baloch militants continue in the Kharan area of ​​Pakistan’s Balochistan province.”

 

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

“#Arabic. The Pakistani Taliban has confirmed the killing of Maulana Taha, one of its top members, by Pakistani security forces.

“The group has suffered heavy losses in the past two weeks at the hands of Pakistani security forces, with more than 50 of its members, including commanders, killed in various operations.”

 

  • December 20: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Taliban have stopped vehicles from entering the center of Mazar-i-Sharif because of a Quran memorization ceremony in the Shrine of Hazrat Ali. The post noted that surveillance and security precautions are in place and commented that the Taliban “has previously organized the coronation ceremonies of its members under tight security measures in the country’s mosques.”

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

“#Arabic. Local sources in Balkh indicate that the Taliban has banned the movement of vehicles in the center of Mazar-i-Sharif due to the holding of a ‘Quran memorization’ ceremony in the Shrine of Hazrat Ali.

“The sources said that the roads surrounding the shrine have been closed since this morning.

“The sources added that the Taliban has taken strict security measures and placed all movements under tight surveillance.

“Several residents of Mazar-i-Sharif said that the closure of roads in the city center has caused them to face multiple problems, forcing them to walk on many paths.

“The sources indicated that the center of Mazar-i-Sharif city has taken on a military character, as military vehicles are constantly moving in this area.

“The Taliban has previously organized the coronation ceremonies of its members under tight security measures in the country’s mosques.”

 

  • December 20: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Taliban has announced that they are recruiting men between the ages of 18 and 22 from four districts in Takhar province. 

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

“#Arabic. The Taliban Army’s ‘Recruitment and Recruitment’ [sic] Command in Takhar announced that it will accept young men aged between 18 and 22 from Farkhar and Warsaj districts and Shira Mandara village of Chal district, Darreh Sultan and Anjirestan villages of Ishkamish district of this province under certain conditions.

“According to a ‘notice’ issued by the command, a copy of which was obtained by Etilaatroz newspaper, the recruitment process of young men from these districts has started as of Wednesday (28th of al-Qaws).”

 

  • December 20: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that a doctor was killed in an attack by unknown individuals in Nangarhar. 

“Urgent. An armed attack targeted a doctor in the Afghan province of Nangarhar, which led to his immediate death. The reason for his death is not yet known, and we will provide you with the details of the news later, God willing, if available.”

 

  • December 20: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the UN and multiple countries and entities “blessed the efforts of the Taliban militia in its war against” ISIS-K and requested that they do more to halt acts of terrorism originating from Afghanistan.

Text: “Special envoys and representatives for Afghanistan from Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Korea, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and representatives from the United Nations, the World Bank, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation met in Geneva on 16 December 2024 to discuss the crisis in Afghanistan. They condemned the Taliban’s ban on women’s medical training. They highlighted the threat of terrorism and urged comprehensive political reform. They emphasized support for humanitarian efforts, UN actions focusing on women’s rights, and regional cooperation. They acknowledged the Taliban’s efforts against the Islamic State in Khorasan Province but stressed the need to comply with UN Resolution 2593, noting that some terrorist groups remain active in Afghanistan and are planning internal and cross-border attacks.”

“Follow-ups. From Syria to Afghanistan. The United Nations, France, Italy, Britain, Turkey, Switzerland, Norway, Korea, the U.S., and the European Union blessed the efforts of the Taliban militia in its war against the terrorists and demanded that it exert more efforts to fight them and rebuked it for the escalation of attacks and the attempt to stop the terrorist attacks abroad that are planned from Afghanistan.”

 

3. ISIS Amaq/Nashir Statements

There were no Amaq/Nashir statements the week of December 14–20.

 

4. ISIS-K Linked Al-Azaim Poster Released on December 14, 2024

al-azaim poster dec 14 2024
Counterpoint Series
Afghanistan