Afghanistan Content Report

March 23 – March 29

Please note that all items in this issue are concerning ISIS-K

Table of contents

1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletter Edition 436, Published March 28, 2024
2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter
3. ISIS Amaq Statements
4. Pro-ISIS-K Al-Azaim Pamphlet “Attack on Moscow, Fear and Terror of the Militia,” Released March 25, 2024
5. Pro-ISIS-K Al-Azaim Pamphlet “Ram Mandir or Babri Masjid,” Released March 26, 2024
6. Pro-ISIS-K Al-Azaim Pamphlet “Colonel Hibat Shariat: Bringing People to the Past with Repeated Promises,” Released March 27, 2024

Main points (Pro-ISIS online chatter)

• The Taliban were the first to offer their condolences to the Russian government after the March 22 Moscow attack.
  • The Taliban want to prove to the world that they are “humane and kind” to obtain benefits.
• The Taliban protect religious minority groups in Afghanistan.
• The Taliban will not institute religious law. 
• Unknown individuals attacked a vehicle transporting Chinese engineers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing five Chinese nationals and another individual.
  • The Taliban quickly offered their condolences.
• The Taliban are planning on handing over 100 Uyghur Muslims to the Chinese government.
• Taliban leaders are guilty of kidnapping teenage girls and forcibly marrying them.
  • High-ranking members of the police and intelligence service aid this.

1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletter Edition 436, Published March 28, 2024

• “A martyrdom operation results in the killing and wounding of dozens of Taliban militia in Khorasan Province.”

“The soldiers of the Caliphate in Khorasan Province dealt a new blow to the apostate Taliban militia this week, as dozens of them were killed or wounded, including leaders, in a martyrdom operation against their gathering in southern Afghanistan. In detail, with the grace of God Almighty, the martyred brother Muawiyah al-Panjshiri—may God accept him—set out on Thursday (4 Ramadan) towards a gathering of about 150 Taliban members who were gathering to enter near one of the government banks, in the city of Kandahar, southern Afghanistan, which is considered the stronghold of the apostate militia. The martyr was able to pass all the security fortifications around the place and detonated his explosive belt on them, which led to the killing and wounding of dozens, including leaders, and all praise and grace be to God.”
 

• “The martyr brother (Muawiyah al-Panjshiri)—May God Almighty accept him.”

• “The gathering is for militia members.”

“A private source revealed to Al-Naba that the explosion occurred after extensive monitoring of the target in terms of time and location. The source explained that the mujahideen chose Thursday as the date to carry out the operation. This was based on prior information that members had that it was the day the militia would receive their salaries from this bank. Al-Naba obtained an exclusive photo to monitor the execution site before the attack.”

• “America and Iran condemned the attack.”

“Crusader America condemned the blessed operation against their new allies, and the American special envoy to Afghanistan said: ‘The United States condemns the unjustified terrorist attack!’ He added: ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and missing persons!’ Condemnations were also issued in solidarity with militia members from Rafidi Iran and other infidel and apostate governments.”

• “Reconnaissance of the Taliban militia gathering location before carrying out the martyrdom operation.”

• “An explosive device in Kunar.”

“In a related context, on Monday (Ramadan 15), soldiers of the Caliphate detonated an explosive device on a vehicle of the apostate Taliban militia in the Suki area in Kunar, which led to the injury of a member and the damage to the vehicle.”

2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter

• March 23: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the Taliban, who are identified as nationalists, were the “first to mourn” the Russian victims of the March 22 Moscow attack.

“The Taliban National Movement is one of the first to mourn the death of their criminal Russian brothers.”

• March 23: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram criticizing the United Arab Emirates for expressing condolences to the victims of the Moscow attack. The post stated that it was “noteworthy” that the Houthis and Taliban similarly “expressed their condolences.”

“#Arab_Peninsula. The Masonic statelet (The United Arab Emirates) expresses its solidarity with those who perished on the Cross in the blessed #Moscow_Invasion by raising the banner of the Russian infidels.

“It is noteworthy that the Houthi rejectionists, along with the apostate #Taliban militia, expressed their condolences for the deaths of the worshipers of the cross.”

• March 24: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram denouncing the Taliban for condemning ISIS and the Moscow attack.

“#Khorasan. The apostate Taliban militia strongly condemns the attack on the infidels and says that killing the infidel whom God commanded us to kill is a distortion of Islam.

“An infidel religion, a broken belief, and foolish followers who are [obscenity deleted], and may God’s curse be upon the effeminate #apostate_Al-Qaeda.”

• March 25: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram condemning the Taliban in response to a quote from Hibatullah Akhundzada about how they are allegedly instituting religious law. In a poem, the post states that the Taliban allow the practice of Shiitism, Hinduism, and other religions in Afghanistan, allow the drug trade, have good relations with Iran, China, and Russia, and receive intelligence from the U.S. and Qatar while working to join the United Nations. The post noted that the only real goal of the Taliban is to fight ISIS.

(Quote from Hibatullah Akhundzada about how the Taliban will institute religious law.)

“What law is he talking about?

“What limits is he talking about?

“And what hostility to the West is being feigned?

“The Shiites have Husseiniyats [congregation halls] around them.

“Afghanistan and Hindus have temples.

“They have complete freedom to practice,

“Their polytheistic and pagan rituals,

“While the drug trade spreads,

“And obscene with complete disruption of limits

“God!

“The Taliban have good and good [sic] relations,

“Neighborhood with Crusader Russia and Iran,

“Zoroastrianism and Communist China,

“And a close intelligence relationship with,

“The Americans and Qataris are demanding,

“A seat in the Council of Atheist Nations!

“The Taliban today has one goal:

“Fighting the law of God Almighty and that is from,

“During the fight against the state in Khorasan,

“And prevent it from launching attacks on the state,

“Neighborhood that fights Islam!

“Indeed, the party of God is the victor,

“But the Taliban are from the party of Satan,

“And they are the party of Satan,

“Losers.”

• March 25: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram celebrating the March 21, 2024, attack in Kandahar by an ISIS-K suicide bomber targeting Taliban soldiers at a bank.

“#Khorasan. #Followups.

“God is in the camp of heroes.”

• March 26: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that a car carrying Chinese workers was attacked in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and that six people were killed, including five Chinese passengers.

“#Urgent. #Pakistan.

“An explosive belt attack on a car carrying Chinese infidels in the Shangla area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, as a result of which six people died, including five Chinese pagans.”

• March 26: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram criticizing the Taliban for condemning the Moscow attack. The post alleged that the Taliban are trying to show Russia, the U.S., and Europe that they are “humane and kind” to obtain benefits and portray themselves in a positive light.

“#Russia. #Taliban.

“Taliban Islamism responds to the attack on Moscow:

“‘We condemn in the strongest terms the recent terrorist attack in Moscow and consider it a flagrant violation of all humanitarian standards.’

“Their attitude is: Look, West, and look, Russia, America, and Europe. We are humane and kind, and we care about your security, and we suffer from your plight, and we are not terrorists!

“This is not their first position. With every calamity that befalls the infidels of the East and the West, [the] Taliban rushes to please everyone by any means, for it is their goal and their path. #Some of them are guardians of some.”

• March 26: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram adding additional information to the attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stating that the target was “a convoy of Chinese technical engineers.”

“#Pakistan. #to update.

“The attack was carried out with a bomb targeting a convoy of Chinese technical engineers.”

• March 26: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram complaining that the Taliban will send those the poster has deemed “polytheists” to perform the hajj.

“#Khorasan. The apostate Taliban militia will send the polytheists, the Wasabi [translation is unclear] of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, and the infidels of the honorable companions and those who curse them to perform Hajj.”

• March 27: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Taliban “were the first” to offer condolences to China after the attack on Chinese engineers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The post noted that the Taliban, like the Pakistani government, “enjoys close ties with the … Chinese.”

“#Khorasan. Once again, after condoning the Russian crusaders in their atrocities, the saints of the apostate al-Qaeda [obscenity deleted] were the first to console the communists of China and the apostates of Pakistan in their destruction.

“Despite the ongoing blame game of harboring terrorists between Islamabad and Kabul, the permissive militia was among the first to condemn the terrorist attack, because, like the Pakistani apostates, it enjoys close ties with the pagan Chinese. The new tyrant of Pakistani ministers was forced to go to the Chinese embassy to express his condolences on the occasion.”

• March 28: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the Taliban violently entered a home in Ghor Province, abducted a 17-year-old girl, and beat her family. The post stated that abductions and forced marriages by the Taliban are common.

“#Khorasan. The wolves of the apostate Taliban militia in Ghor stormed the house of a Muslim and kidnapped his 17-year-old daughter to force her to marry one of their dogs.

“Meanwhile, they beat her family.

“This is not the thousandth time that the dogs of the apostate militia have been forced by force and at gunpoint to marry Muslim girls. The leaders did this before the pimping.”

• March 28: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that regional and local Taliban leaders, including police and intelligence officials, were present during the kidnapping and forced marriage of a 17-year-old girl in Pasaband District in Ghor Province.

“#Khorasan. #Followups. When the apostate #Taliban militia forcibly took and deported [sic] a 17-year-old girl from the village of Norak in the Pasaband area and forcibly married her to one of their members named Shah Wali.

“During the quarrel, the girl's family members were severely beaten.

“The local sources added that the region's apostate tyrant, Abdullah Khairkha, the police tyrant Abdul Hamid Khaled, the deputy of the intelligence tyrant Muhammad Mushfaq, and the apostate militia intelligence tyrant Tawhidi were also present when she was kidnapped.”

• March 28: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that there was an explosion in a mosque in Tabriz, Iran. News reporting claimed a gas leak caused the explosion. 

“#Urgent. #Iran. An explosion in the Musa bin Jaafar al-Rafidi shrine in the Iranian city of Tabriz.”

• March 28: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Taliban sentenced seven people to “39 lashes of flogging on charges of adultery and sodomy.”

“#Khorasan. The Supreme Court of the apostate Taliban militia announced that seven people were sentenced to 39 lashes of flogging on charges of adultery and sodomy.”

• March 28: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Taliban are charging Hazaras $50 more this year to perform the hajj. The post asks why the Taliban permit the Hazaras to go on the hajj.

“#Khorasan. Why does the #Taliban_renegade_militia charge Hazara Shiites an additional $50 for the hajj trip compared to last year?

“The question that was not asked is: Why are they even allowed to go to Hajj?”

• March 29: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the Taliban “is preparing to hand over about 100 Uyghur Muslims” to Chinese authorities.

“#Khorasan. The apostate #Taliban militia is preparing to hand over about 100 Uyghur Muslims to idolaters of communism.”

3. ISIS Amaq Statements

• March 26: ISIS claims to have injured a Taliban member in Kunar in an attack on a vehicle with explosives.

“Khorasan Province. By the grace of God Almighty, the soldiers of the Caliphate detonated an explosive device on a vehicle of the apostate Taliban militia in the Suki area in Kunar yesterday, which led to the injury of a member and the damage to the vehicle and praise being to God.”

4. Pro-ISIS-K Al-Azaim Pamphlet “Attack on Moscow, Fear and Terror of the Militia,” Released March 25, 2024

A 30-page Pashto pamphlet.

Summary:

• ISIS committed the March 22 attack on a concert hall in Moscow.
  • The Taliban have sought to take revenge against ISIS inside Afghanistan.
  • Putin has declared this attack to be part of an American conspiracy.
  • All countries are coordinating against ISIS.
• The Taliban accepts $40 million per week from Christian countries.
  • In return, the Taliban kill Muslims, protect the borders of Afghanistan, protect the security of foreigners on Afghan soil, and protect embassies and “nightclubs.”
  • The Taliban are among the nations of disbelief.
• People have disregarded the Taliban’s 30 years of cooperation with Pakistan.
  • The Taliban have accepted ammunition and support from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and sent their wounded to hospitals in Pakistan.
  • The ISI are the Taliban’s bosses.
  • Any hostility between Pakistan and the Taliban is fake.
    • There are airstrikes one day and then “sweet laughter and gatherings” the next day.
    • Taliban leaders have homes in Pakistan.
    • Pakistan covered up the ISIS attack on their embassy in Kabul in December 2022
    • Many other ISIS attacks on Pakistani interests have been covered up.
• Tajikistan:
  • ISIS previously launched missiles at Tajikistan from within Afghanistan.
  • The Taliban promised to strengthen the protection of their border with Tajikistan.

• The United States:
  • It is foolish to think that ISIS is a project of the U.S. when the U.S. installed the Taliban in Afghanistan during negotiations in Doha, Qatar.
  • ISIS attacked the Kabul Airport in August 2021, killing American soldiers and humiliating the Taliban.
• China:
  • The government of China persecutes Uyghur Muslims.
  • The Taliban protect China.
• Russia has carried out attacks and massacres around the world, including in Syria, where they destroyed villages and cities.
  • The Russians destroyed mosques, madrassas, homes, and cities in indiscriminate bombing. Why is it wrong to attack Russian taxpayers, “those who shake hands with the killers of Muslims?”
• ISIS supporters—whether they are Tajiks, Panjshiri, Pashtun, Pakistani, Uzbek, or from any land—will attack you.
• To the Taliban:
  • Sharing intelligence with other countries will not save you.

5. Pro-ISIS-K Al-Azaim Pamphlet “Ram Mandir or Babri Masjid,” Released March 26, 2024

A 17-page Pashto pamphlet.

Summary:

• A story of how when the narrator was a child, he remembers his father hearing about the attack on the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, India.
  • The narrator’s teacher called for a demonstration against the attack.
  • The protesters were willing to be killed by a mob.
• Muslim states still ally with India.
  • Israel, a U.S. ally, attacks mosques and madrasas in Palestine, but the Taliban is eager to accept American money.
  • These same people will offer condolences to Russian, Iranian, Chinese, and Indian officials when their people are killed by ISIS.
• Despite the attack on Babri Masjid, the Taliban seeks good relations with India.
  • Taliban officials have been interviewed on Indian television.
  • The Indian government has trained Taliban soldiers.
  • Both governments have spoken about jointly fighting against ISIS.
• This is all despite the fact that many members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ruling party of India, attacked the Babri Masjid in 1992.
• The Taliban offer protection to Hindus and Indian citizens in Afghanistan.
  • The Taliban are humiliated because mosques are destroyed in India, but the Taliban leadership protects and even rebuilds Hindu temples in Afghanistan.
• The Taliban “congratulate” the Indian government on their brutality towards Muslims in their country.
• India shares intelligence with the Taliban and considers them a close friend.
• One day, the modern followers of Ibn Qasim (who led the Muslim conquest of Sindh) and Mahmud of Ghaznavi (sultan of the Ghaznavid Empire who invaded India) will restore their history, and India will be defeated.

1. Pro-ISIS-K Al-Azaim Pamphlet “Colonel Hibat Shariat: Bringing People to the Past with Repeated Promises,” Released March 27, 2024

A 16-page Pashto pamphlet.

Summary:

• Taliban promises of instituting religious law are a stopgap measure intended to fool the Afghan people and to cover for the fact that they are lawbreakers themselves and have no legitimacy.

• For almost two years, the Taliban have assured Afghans that they will institute religious law.
  • This is an effort to “tame” their critics and the people.
  • They then retract this claim to keep receiving foreign aid.
• Young Taliban members should join ISIS, which will institute religious law.
• Foreign aid the Taliban receives strengthens their system of tyranny.
• The Taliban’s allies send bombs to Palestine and dollars to the Taliban.