Afghanistan Content Report

January 18–January 24, 2025

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

Table of contents

1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletter Edition 479, Published January 23, 2025
2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter
3. ISIS Amaq/Nashir Statements

Main points (Pro-ISIS Online Chatter)

Afghanistan

• A Chinese citizen who worked as a manager at a gold mine in Takhar was killed. ISIS claimed credit for the attack the same day.
  • ISIS-K propaganda has previously condemned the Chinese government for the persecution of Uyghur Muslims, and ISIS-K has previously targeted Chinese nationals in Afghanistan.
  • The Chinese government has called for increased security for foreigners in Afghanistan and “greater efforts to combat terrorism.”
• The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Abdul Hakim Haqqani for alleged persecution of women and girls.
  • Pro-ISIS posts noted that the Taliban had tried to appeal to the international community but that their leaders have still become “international[ly] wanted persons.”
• Unidentified gunmen kidnapped and murdered an official in the Taliban Ministry of Vice and Virtue.
• Posts condemned the Taliban for persecuting Salafis and protecting religious minority groups in Afghanistan.
  • A post claimed that the Taliban closed almost “30 mosques and Salafi religious schools in 16 Afghan provinces” as part of a counterterrorism campaign.
• Four Taliban intelligence personnel were killed in an IED attack on their vehicle in Pul-e Khumri, Baghlan.
• Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and the head of the General Intelligence Directorate, Abdul Haq Wasiq, met with President Mohammed bin Zayed of the United Arab Emirates to discuss improving bilateral relations.
• The Taliban have conducted recent arrests in fear of ISIS-K infiltration and the defection of Taliban members.
• The Taliban are allegedly unofficially requesting additional weapons to fight ISIS-K.
• Unidentified gunmen killed a Taliban soldier in Baghlan.
• Taliban security forces in Sar-e Pol claimed to have arrested six ISIS members.
• Unknown individuals killed a member of the Taliban in his home in the Khogyani district of Nangarhar province.

Pakistan

• An alleged Pakistani spy was killed in Bajaur district. 

1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletter Edition 479, Published January 23, 2025

• “Chinese communist, Taliban militiaman, and Pakistan government spy killed in separate operations in Khorasan Province.”

“The soldiers of the Caliphate in Khorasan Province killed a Chinese communist and an element of the apostate Taliban militia in two armed attacks that took place this week in the Takhar and Baghlan regions of Afghanistan, while they killed a spy for Pakistani intelligence in the Bajaur region on the Pakistani-Afghan border.”

• “A rifle seized after killing a Taliban member in the Nahrin area of ​​Baghlan.”

• “A Chinese Communist Killed in an Attack in Takhar.”

“In the details, with the help of God Almighty, the Caliphate soldiers targeted a vehicle carrying a Chinese communist employee in the village of Katkajer in the Takhar region with machine guns, which led to his death. Commenting on the attack, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said that ‘the Chinese side has lodged an urgent protest’ with the Taliban, adding that they are ‘deeply shocked’ by the attack and called on the militia to ‘conduct a comprehensive investigation’ into the incident.

“The attack comes one day after the Taliban celebrated ‘the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Afghanistan and China’ according to an official statement by the militia, where its deputy foreign minister confirmed during the ‘celebration’ that they enjoy ‘good relations’ with the criminal infidels of China.”

• “The Chinese Communist who was killed by the Mujahideen in the village of Katkajer in the Takhar region.”

• “Killing a Taliban member in Baghlan.”

“In a related context, on Friday (17 Rajab), the soldiers of the Caliphate targeted an element of the apostate Taliban militia in the village of Kaltaqol in the Nahrain region in Baghlan with machine guns, which led to his death and the seizure of his rifle, praise be to God.”

• “Killing a spy in Bajaur.”

“In the Bajaur border region, the Caliphate soldiers targeted a spy for the apostate Pakistani intelligence in the village of Manarkot in the Mamund region with pistol shots, which led to his death.”

• “The Chinese communist who was killed by the Mujahideen in the village of Katkajer in the Takhar region.”

2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter

• January 18: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that there was an unidentified explosion in Pul-e Khumri, Baghlan.

“Urgent. An explosion rocks the Pul-e Khumri area in the Afghan province of Baghlan.”

• January 18: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram condemning the Taliban for protecting religious minority groups in Afghanistan—specifically Shiites, Sikhs, and Hindus—while cracking on Salafis. The post criticizes the Taliban for imprisoning Sunni women and asks that Deobandism and Maturidism, two schools of Sunni theology, be destroyed.

“True Salafis have realized since day one the Taliban’s misguidance and that it has no relation with the Sunnis, neither closely nor remotely.

“Because of the innovators from the Sururiyya and the Ikhwan and those who follow them who sought to paint a beautiful image of the Taliban, their true nature was hidden from some Salafis.

“From today onwards, there is no excuse for the Taliban!

“The Taliban’s relationship with the Rafidah [a derogatory name for Shiites] in particular, and with the Sikhs and Hindus, is better than its relationship with the Sunnis. I do not mean specifically the Sunnis, but even the common Sunnis and even the Sunni women who were not spared from the Taliban’s test and imprisonment of them for the sake of their religion!

“Oh Allah, eradicate the Deobandis and Maturidis, for You are the All-Hearing, the Responsive.”

• January 19: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that a beheaded body was found in Parwan.

“Urgent. A headless body was found in the Afghan province of Parwan, and the Taliban militia is searching for the head to find out who owns the body.”

• January 19: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that four Taliban intelligence personnel were killed in an IED attack on their vehicle in Pul-e Khumri, Baghlan, the previous day.

“Update. Local sources: four Taliban militia intelligence personnel killed in an IED explosion targeting one of their vehicles.”

• January 19: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that a security guard was wounded in an attack in a market in Bajaur district, Pakistan.

“Urgent. An armed attack targeted a security guard in the Inayat market in the Pakistani district of Bajaur, resulting in his injury.”

• January 20: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that unidentified gunmen kidnapped and murdered an official in the Taliban Ministry of Vice and Virtue. The individual worked in Nangarhar, but his body was found in Parwan.

“Urgent. Gunmen assassinate the head of the Taliban’s Sufism Propagation and Prevention Department [Ministry of Vice and Virtue] and the deputy head of Dar-e-Noor district in Nangarhar, the leader Mawlawi Rafiullah, in the Janjal Bagh area near the city of Charikar in the Afghan province of Parwan.

“It is noteworthy that Rafiullah, who is from Laghman, disappeared several days ago, and his body was found murdered.”

• January 20: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the Taliban closed almost “30 mosques and Salafi religious schools in 16 Afghan provinces” as part of an counterterrorism campaign. The post noted that most of the closed religious facilities were in the northern part of the country. 

“Follow-ups. Local sources: The Taliban militia closed nearly 30 mosques and Salafi religious schools in 16 Afghan provinces, most of them in northern Afghanistan, including Kabul, as part of the campaign to combat terrorism in cooperation with the United States, China, and Russia.”

• January 21: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and the head of the General Intelligence Directorate, Abdul Haq Wasiq, met with President Mohammed bin Zayed of the United Arab Emirates to discuss improving bilateral relations.

“Monitoring. The interior minister of the Afghan Taliban militia, Sirajuddin Haqqani, and the head of the Afghan General Intelligence Directorate, Abdul Haq Wasiq, meet with Mohammed bin Zayed.

“The Taliban spokesman says: The two sides discussed the current situation in Afghanistan to strengthen bilateral relations.

“And observers ask: How will you patch up, O patcher?”

• January 21: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the Taliban “is experiencing a state of internal disintegration, anxiety, instability, and unrest” because of unease over ISIS infiltration and defections. The post noted that this explained the recent arrests of Taliban members and leaders and claimed that defections occurred because of the “exposure of its [the Taliban’s] treason.”

“Observers. The Taliban militia is experiencing a state of internal disintegration, anxiety, instability, and unrest due to its fears of being infiltrated by the terrorists. This explains the arrests of its leaders and members on charges of belonging to or cooperating with the terrorists. This is due to the exposure of the militia to its followers and the exposure of its treason, which prompted many to defect and others to work against it from within.

“Today's news.”

• January 21: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that two Taliban soldiers were killed in an attack on a checkpoint in Bagram by unidentified individuals.

“Urgent. An armed attack targeted a Taliban security checkpoint in the Bagram area of ​​Parwan province, killing two members.”

• January 22: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram citing a Bloomberg article that quotes a presumed Taliban official stating that the U.S. should send advanced weapons to fight against ISIS-K. Please see https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-21/taliban-rejects-trump-s-call-to-return-us-weapons-worth-billions. 

“Report. Bloomberg: Taliban militia asks Trump to provide them with more advanced weapons to fight ‘terrorists.’

“A copy of it for patchers.”

• January 22: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that Afghan and Pakistani Shiite militias withdrawing from Syria are using Camp Ashraf in Diyala, Iraq. 

“Diyala [Iraq]. The Pakistani Zainebiyoun militia and the Afghan Fatemiyoun have taken Camp Ashraf in the province as a headquarters for their forces withdrawing from Syria.”

• January 22: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that unidentified gunmen killed a Taliban soldier in Baghlan. 

“Urgent. Gunmen assassinate a member of the Afghan Taliban militia in the province of Baghlan.”

• January 22: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that a Chinese citizen who worked as a manager at a gold mine in Takhar was killed. ISIS claimed credit for the attack the same day. Please see https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/islamic-state-claims-responsibility-chinese-national-killed-afghanistan-2025-01-23/.

“Urgent. An armed attack targeted a Chinese national working as a gold mine manager on the Khwaja Bahauddin District Road in Taloqan, the center of the Afghan province of Takhar, leading to his immediate death.”

• January 22: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming to show a photo of the Chinese national killed by ISIS-K.

“Update. Photo of the Chinese citizen who was killed in Afghanistan by terrorists.”

• January 22: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Taliban are asking for more military equipment from the U.S. to fight ISIS-K “because they are no longer able to cope with” terrorist attacks.

“#Urgent. Taliban militias refuse to return $7 billion worth of abandoned U.S. military equipment in Afghanistan in 2021.

“The Taliban also demanded more modern weapons to fight terrorists because they are no longer able to cope with the qualitative strikes that are repeated every period.”

• January 22: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that while the Taliban and Pakistani government have been arguing with one another about the location of ISIS-K leadership, the terrorist group has killed an alleged Pakistani spy in Bajaur and a Chinese national in Takhar.

“In the past few days, the debate was very heated between the apostate Taliban officials and the Pakistani apostate officials about whether the leaders of the Islamic State are in Pakistan or Afghanistan, whether the Taliban imposed on Pakistan and the impure government of Pakistan on the Taliban [sic]!

“But today, the Mujahideen responded beautifully. At the same time, in one attack, they killed an ISI spy in Bajaur, and in another attack, they killed an atheist Chinese [national] in Takhar. In the twin attacks, they also left this message that we are the holy martyrs of Khorasan, the Khorasan that extends from Nishapur to Sindh and from Transoxiana to India. No more cats and dogs should quarrel on this land; this is the land of Allah, and we will impose the religion of Allah on it! Despite the noses of the Taliban and the apostate Pakistani government!”

• January 22: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram celebrating the killing of an alleged Pakistani spy in Bajaur and a Chinese national in Takhar.

“Yes! We are still standing on our stand by the grace of God!

“The Arbakis [militia] and their followers are still babbling like cows from a manger, saying that the Islamic State is no longer in power and our bold steps have succeeded, and they will continue to feed from their manger, and they will assure their masters and agents of the surrounding countries that there is no danger, but praise is to God, the silence of the lions and the return to the furnace of war, this is very unfamiliar and heartbreaking, this is once again a red fire has spread over the land of the infidels around the world, a black veil has been spread over the people of the world, the infidels have been humiliated, and the believers have been happy, and now they have just lit the flames of the apostate militias, communists, and spies in the province of Khorasan, O infidels, apostates, polytheists, spies around the world, do not be happy!

“The lions are still standing firm on their path and stand, and they will return, God willing.

“Now your days are numbered, God willing, each of you will be drawn into the arms of death, God willing.

“We are people of action!

“Now, these are our days, God willing.

“#Takhar-Chinese-Communist.

“#Bajor-Spy.”

“#Free-Writer.”

• January 23: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that Taliban security forces in Sar-e Pol claimed to have arrested six ISIS members. The post noted that the campaign was in response to ISIS attacks on Shiites.

Text: “Naqibullah Almyar, the spokesman for the Security Command of Sar-e Pol, told [the] news that six ISIS members were arrested in this province. According to Mr. Almyar, officers of the Counter-Terrorism Department of the Security Command of Sar-e Pol, during detection and targeting operations, found six members of the ‘Khawarij’ group involved in the bombing on the 13th of the month in this province and the attack on the Shiite pilgrims in Arbaeen al-Husseini [mourning procession forty days after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein].”

“Monitoring. Afghan Taliban militia launches arrest campaign in Sar-e-Pul city to arrest suspects of carrying out attacks against Afghan Shiite minority and their convoys.”

• January 23: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that unknown individuals killed a member of the Taliban in the Khogyani district of Nangarhar province in his home. 

“Urgent. Armed men raided the house of an Afghan Taliban militia member in the Khogyani district of ​​Nangarhar province, then killed him and withdrew to an unknown location.”

• January 23: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that unidentified individuals killed a member of the Taliban in Guzara, Herat. The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan committed this attack.

“Urgent. Gunmen assassinate a member of the Afghan Taliban militia in the Guzara area of ​​Herat city.”

• January 23: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that following the ISIS-K murder of a Chinese citizen in Takhar, the Chinese government called for increased security for foreigners in Afghanistan and “greater efforts to combat terrorism.” 

“Monitoring. The Chinese Foreign Ministry condemns the killing of its citizen in Afghanistan and calls on the Taliban militia to tighten its security measures to protect foreigners and make greater efforts to combat terrorism.”

• January 23: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram noting attacks by unknown individuals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and South Waziristan.

Text: “Two Pakistani armed forces personnel were killed in the Tank area of ​​Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Sources said one of the dead was an officer. No group has claimed responsibility for these attacks so far. On the other hand, militants kidnapped four Pakistani policemen in the Sararogha area of ​​South Waziristan.”

“Follow-ups. News from Pakistan during the past four hours.”

• January 23: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram celebrating the killing of a Chinese citizen in Afghanistan. 

“Update. Chinese government: We express our ‘shock’ over the killing of our citizen in Afghanistan.”

• January 23: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that there was an unidentified explosion near the interior ministry in Kabul. 

“Urgent. Explosion near the Taliban interior ministry building in Kabul.”

• January 23: Pro-ISIS post on Gem Space celebrating the killing of a Chinese citizen. The post states that “Mullah Bradley” (a term referring to the allegedly American-allied Taliban) is upset by the killing of their “closest friend.”

• January 23: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that despite “all the concessions” made by the Taliban government to the global community and their fight against ISIS-K, the ICC still issued arrest warrants for Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Chief justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani.

“Entertainment. Despite all the concessions they have made and their proxy war on behalf of the West against terrorism, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, has issued two arrest warrants against the supreme leader of the Taliban militia, Hibatullah Akhundzada, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the chief justice of the Afghan Interim Government, and thus they have become international wanted persons.”

• January 24: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that unidentified militants killed three people in Mir Ali, North Waziristan.

“Urgent. Militants assassinate three people in Haider Khel, Mir Ali, North Waziristan, Pakistan. The motive for the attack is unknown.”

• January 24: Pro-ISIS post on Gem Space stating that Taliban leadership previously approved of the ICC arrest warrants issued for senior Israeli leaders in November but condemned the arrest warrants for Akhundzada and Haqqani. The post noted that Taliban leadership previously approved of the “blasphemy” of the court.

• January 24: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that two Sunni Kurds who had fled from Iran to Afghanistan were taken into custody by the Taliban and returned to Iran, where they may receive the death penalty.

“Follow-ups. A few days ago, two Sunni Kurds who oppose the supreme leader’s regime in Tehran took refuge in Afghanistan. Hours ago, the Taliban militia handed the opponents over to Iran, and now they face charges that carry a death penalty at the very least.”

3. ISIS Amaq/Nashir Statements

• January 22: ISIS claims to have killed a Chinese national in Takhar province in an armed attack.

“By the grace of Allah Almighty, the soldiers of the Caliphate targeted a vehicle carrying a Chinese communist in the village of Katkajer in the region of Takhar yesterday with machine guns, leading to his death and damage to his vehicle, praise be to Allah.”

• January 22: ISIS claims to have killed an alleged Pakistani government spy in Bajaur.

“Khorasan Province, with the grace of God Almighty, the soldiers of the Caliphate targeted a spy for the apostate Pakistani intelligence, in the village of Manarkot in the Mamund region in Bajaur, with pistol bullets, leading to his death, praise be to God.”