Afghanistan Content Report: February 1–February 7, 2025

Afghanistan Content Report

February 1–February 7, 2025

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

Table of contents

  1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletter Edition 481, Published February 6, 2025
  2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter
  3. ISIS Amaq/Nashir Statements

 

Main points (Pro-ISIS Online Chatter)

Afghanistan

  • Unidentified gunmen killed Abdul Basir Ghiyathi, the head of a road construction company, in Faryab.
  • There was an explosion in front of the Taliban police headquarters in Taloqan.
  • A Shiite individual was murdered in Herat.
  • An unknown number of people were killed or injured in an explosion targeting Taliban soldiers in Kunduz.
  • A Taliban soldier reportedly injured a security guard after firing a weapon at a United Nations compound in Kabul.
  • Unidentified gunmen entered the home of a Taliban member in Taloqan and killed two people inside.
  • Taliban leaders are appealing to humanitarian organizations for assistance.
  • According to a recent report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), there were 40 percent more attacks claimed by ISIS-K in 2024 than in 2023.
  • Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban’s deputy foreign minister, left Afghanistan after criticizing Hibatullah Akhundzada for his leadership and for preventing girls from obtaining an education.
  • Commanders in Kabul, reportedly affiliated with the Haqqani Network, have been replaced by commanders from the Akhundzada faction, and a special unit was allegedly deployed to Kabul, potentially to prevent a coup against Akhundzada.
  • Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) stopped demining work in Afghanistan after the U.S. froze foreign assistance.
  • The Taliban have increased their operations against ISIS-K in Afghanistan to prove to the new Trump administration that they are taking action against the terrorist group.

Pakistan

  • Unidentified gunmen killed the head of “the local peace committee” in Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
  • Unidentified gunmen kidnapped three Pakistani police officers in South Waziristan.
  • A Pakistani police officer was killed in an attack by unidentified people in Rawalpindi.

 

1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletter Edition 481, Published February 6, 2025

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

 

2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter

  • February 1: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram criticizing the Taliban minister of health for appealing to the non-governmental organization Catholic Relief Services and other organizations for aid. The post noted that the Taliban’s acting prime minister had “called on the nation to pray” for the end of poverty in Afghanistan.

“#Report. The minister of health of the [Taliban] militia has also appealed to the Catholic Church, along with some international organizations, to help them in the field of health [sic]!

“It is worth noting that the prime minister, Mullah Hasan Akhund, had called on the nation to pray to God to get rid of poverty, but he is sitting on the charity of the Catholic Church and saying: ‘Baba Ghoshe [sic], bring bread!’

“That is, it is clear that the people believe in God and the militia believe in the Church.

“CRS: Catholic Relief Service[s].”

 

  • February 1: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) released a report noting that ISIS-K claimed 40 percent more attacks in 2024 than in 2023, including attacks in Iran, Russia, and Pakistan, in addition to Afghanistan. See https://amu.tv/154783/. 

Text: “The U.S. Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said in a new report that the Khorasan branch of the ISIS organization continues to pose a significant threat to Afghanistan and regional stability. The recently released report stated that the Khorasan branch of the ISIS organization claimed responsibility for 60 attacks in Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, and Pakistan in 2024, which is about 40 percent more than the group’s attacks in 2023.”

“Follow-ups. [According to] a new official American report, which undermines the efforts of the Taliban militia, they [ISIS-K] pose a major threat to Afghanistan and regional stability, and their attacks have increased by about 40 percent over last year.”

 

  • February 1: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the recent SIGAR report, referred to in the post above, shows that the Taliban are lying to the U.S. about their ability to fight ISIS-K.

“Entertainment. The American [SIGAR] report that revealed the Taliban’s lies put the militia leaders in an embarrassing position with America, as it promised them at the American Al Udeid [Air] Base in Qatar to eliminate terrorism within a period not exceeding a year. Today, terrorism operations are increasing in quality and sometimes quantity at the national, regional, and even global levels. The militia is still lying, which is exposed before the United States of America, as it is the sponsor of the militia and knows what is happening in Afghanistan.”

 

  • February 1: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that there was an unidentified explosion in Takhar province.

“Urgent. An explosion rocks the Afghan province of Takhar.”

 

  • February 1: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Takhar explosion occurred in the provincial capital of Taloqan in front of the local police headquarters.

“Urgent. The explosion occurred in front of the headquarters of the Afghan Taliban militia police in the city of Taloqan, the center of Takhar.”

 

“Follow-ups. An audio leak of a leader in the Afghan Taliban militia.

“The leaked audio reveals Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Stanikzai criticizing the leader of the Taliban militia, Akhundzada.

“In the recently leaked audio clip of the Taliban Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Stanikzai, he stated that leaders should be followed and should not be elevated to the status of the Lord of the Worlds or the Prophet ﷺ (indicating the servitude of the militia members to their leader).

“Stanikzai stated that obedience to the leader is conditional, saying that if the leader deviates from the right path or moves towards harmful issues or orders, they should not be followed.

“Abbas’s remarks come amid tensions in the leadership of the Taliban militia, especially after he criticized the leader Akhundzada for banning girls’ education in schools.

“Following his opposition, Stanikzai is said to have left Afghanistan and is currently in India.

“The leaked clip shows growing internal divisions within the Taliban, particularly over governance, key policies, power, and money.”

 

  • February 2: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the humanitarian organization Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) stopped its demining work in Afghanistan after the U.S. froze foreign assistance and NPA is planning on leaving the country. The post claims that NPA “works to spread democratic ideas” in addition to humanitarian demining. See https://amu.tv/154956/.

“Follow-ups. After America issued orders, the Norwegian NPA [Norwegian People’s Aid] organization stopped its work in Afghanistan and prepared to leave the country. The organization works to spread democratic ideas and combat [land]mines, and it was working under American orders and with the approval of the Taliban.”

 

  • February 2: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that Abdul Ghani Baradar, the acting first deputy prime minister, was injured in Kandahar “under mysterious circumstances.”

“Monitoring. A picture of Mullah Bradley (the engineer of relations with the American Al Udeid [Air] Base in Qatar) lying in the hospital. It is worth noting that news came a few days ago about his injury in Kandahar under mysterious circumstances, the details of which were not announced.”

 

  • February 2: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that an unknown number of people were killed or injured in an explosion targeted Taliban soldiers in Kunduz.

“Urgent. An explosion targeted a gathering of Taliban militia members in the second district of Kunduz city, resulting in deaths and injuries.”

 

“Urgent. An armed attack targeting the United Nations headquarters in the Afghan capital, Kabul, which led to the death of one member and the injury of others, according to a preliminary toll.”

 

  • February 3: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that unidentified gunmen entered the home of a Taliban member in Taloqan and killed two people inside.

“Urgent. Armed men storm the house of a member of the Afghan Taliban militia in the city of Taloqan, Takhar province, and kill two members of the house.”

 

“Urgent. Armed men killed the head of the local peace committee affiliated with one of the democratic parties in the Lakki Marwat district of the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

 

“News. Armed men attacked Abdul Basir Ghiyathi, the head of the Taliban militia [affiliated] ‘Ghiyathi Group’ company, in Faryab, killing him instantly.”

 

  • February 4: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that there was reportedly another explosion in front of a Taliban security headquarters in Kunduz.

“Urgent. An explosion in front of the Taliban militia security headquarters in Kunduz city.”

 

  • February 4: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that two Taliban soldiers were killed and three were injured in the Kunduz explosion.

“Urgent. Two Taliban militia killed and three wounded in initial Kunduz explosion.”

 

  • February 4: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that unidentified gunmen kidnapped three Pakistani police officers in South Waziristan.

“Urgent. Armed men kidnapped three Pakistani police officers in South Waziristan and took them to an unknown location.”

 

  • February 5: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that “kidnapping operations continue in Pakistan.”

Text: “A police officer was kidnapped from Tank. Sources said that unknown persons from the borders of Gomal police station kidnapped police officer Samiullah. The kidnapped police officer was returning from home to Gomal police station to perform his duties.”

“Follow-ups. Kidnapping operations continue in Pakistan.”

 

  • February 5: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the Taliban have increased their attacks on ISIS-K in Afghanistan in an attempt to prove to the new Trump administration that they are taking action against the terrorist group.

Text: “By the grace of Allah Almighty, the seditious network that was carrying out sabotage acts in the northeast of the country, under the direct guidance of the ISIS Khorasan branch in Balochistan province, was eliminated in successful operations carried out by the special forces of the Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate, and the network was completely dismantled, and all its members were arrested.

“It [sic] obtained information from reliable sources that during the past three days, extensive operations were carried out against this network in the provinces of Takhar, Kunduz, Baghlan, and Samangan.

“During these operations, all members of the network were arrested, and the special forces of the Mujahideen confiscated weapons, ammunition, hand grenades, and explosive materials.

“The last attack carried out by this network was in the Dasht-e-Qala district of Takhar province, where they targeted a Chinese citizen, leading to his death. They also previously attacked a group of dhikr [Sufi] pilgrims in a mosque in Nahrain district of Baghlan province, resulting in more than ten victims between dead and wounded.”

“Observers. Trump decided to suspend financial aid to the Taliban militia due to their failure in the war against terrorism and then demanded that they hand over the military equipment in their possession.

“I wonder what they are doing? They are spreading news like the one in the picture: arrest, detention, dismantling, pursuing, [and] killing terrorists.

“Hopefully, Trump will believe them and return the aid. Those who remember in the mosque mean followers of the ‘Saifist religion’ [the Saifia Sufi sect], which is not a mosque, but a small temple.”

 

  • February 5: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Taliban is increasing operations against ISIS-K in an attempt not to lose funding from the U.S.

Text: “By the grace of God, the network of separatists who were carrying out a series of sabotage activities in the northeast of the country under the direct guidance of the ISIS Khorasan branch in Balochistan was crushed, and all its members were arrested, as a result of a successful operation by the special forces of the Mujahideen of the Islamic Emirate.”

“#Report. Militants [the Taliban] have told Trump in a sarcastic tone, ‘Do not stop the dollars; the boys are sacrificing themselves and their lives and property in the pursuit of the mission. Yesterday, we freed the Americans; today, we have destroyed another Muslim’s house; what more do you want? The first night, just give us a little! Give us a chance, we will prove ourselves, okay!’”

 

  • February 5: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram alleging that the ongoing power struggle between the Haqqani and Akhundzada factions of the Taliban is getting worse. The post claimed that Haqqani Network commanders in Kabul were let go and replaced with commanders from the Akhundzada faction and that a special unit was brought to Kabul to prevent a potential coup attempt.

“Monitoring. A leaked audio message shows widespread disagreements between two factions within the Taliban militia, the Haqqani faction and the Hibatullah [Akhundzada] faction. It [the audio message] stated that the commanders of the 16 Kabul districts, who belong to the Haqqani Network, were dismissed from their jobs, and officials affiliated with the Hibatullah [Akhundzada] faction of the Kandahar Taliban were appointed.

“At the same time, the ‘Lashkar-e-Taiba’ unit led by the Taliban Mawlawi, affiliated with Hibatullah, which some say is the special protection force for the Taliban leader, arrived in Kabul and was deployed to stop any coup attempt by the Haqqani faction.

“Observers say that this is the most difficult disagreement between the Haqqani network and the Taliban leader and comes at a critical stage for the militia in Afghanistan.”

 

  • February 6: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that unidentified men attacked Pakistani police officers in Mastung, Balochistan, with a hand grenade.

“Urgent. Armed men on a motorcycle attack Pakistani police officers with a hand grenade in Mastung, Balochistan province.”

 

  • February 6: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the beheaded body of a Shiite individual was located in the city of Herat.

“Urgent. The body of a Shiite follower was found in the Afghan city of Herat, and the search for the head is still ongoing.”

 

  • February 7: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that a Pakistani police officer was killed in an attack by unidentified people in Rawalpindi and that three other individuals were wounded.

“Urgent. There was an armed attack that targeted a police officer in Rawalpindi, Punjab province, that also wounded three others. Photo of the deceased.”

 

3. ISIS Amaq/Nashir Statements

  • There were no Amaq/Nashir claims of responsibility for Afghanistan between February 1 and February 7.

 

Counterpoint Series
Afghanistan