Afghanistan Content Report

November 2–November 8, 2024

Please note all items in this issue concern ISIS-K

Table of contents

1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletter Edition 468, Published November 7, 2024
2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter
3. ISIS Amaq/Nashir Statements

Main points (Pro-ISIS online chatter)

• A gas station was set on fire in Kabul, resulting in several deaths and injuries. While ISIS has not claimed this attack, posts allege that ISIS may be responsible.
• An individual identified as both an imam and “amulet maker” was killed and beheaded by unknown individuals in Nangarhar.
• The Maldivian ambassador to Pakistan was recalled after meeting with the Taliban’s representative to Pakistan in Islamabad.
• There has been a rise in opium cultivation in Afghanistan. 
• Unidentified gunmen murdered a tribal leader in Laghman province.
• Unidentified gunmen murdered the owner of a mobile phone store in Paktia.

1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletter Edition 468, Published November 7, 2024

• “A Pakistani police officer was injured in a Mujahideen attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

“This week, the soldiers of the Caliphate in Khorasan Province injured a member of the apostate Pakistani police in an armed attack in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area. In the details, with the help of God Almighty, the soldiers of the Caliphate targeted a member of the apostate Pakistani police in the village of Qamber Khel in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area with pistol bullets, which resulted in his injury, praise be to God.”

2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter

• November 2: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that unidentified individuals killed a Pakistani Taliban leader in South Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“Urgent. An armed attack targeted a leader of the Pakistani Taliban militia in ​​Azam Warsak village in South Waziristan in the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which led to his immediate death. Notably, the leader is the general commander of the militia in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

• November 2: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram regarding the murder and beheading of an imam and “amulet maker” in Khogyani district by unknown individuals.

Text: “Unknown assailants behead a talisman maker in Nangarhar. The Taliban security command in Nangarhar confirmed the killing of an amulet maker in Khogyani district. A bulletin from the Taliban security command in Nangarhar said that this person was beheaded by unknown assailants last night in the Pira Khel area of ​​the Khogyani district on his farm. The Taliban security command in Nangarhar did not mention anything about the identity of this person. It was said that this person was also an imam of a mosque. Taliban security officials did not mention anything about the motive behind the killing of this person, adding that an investigation is underway in this regard.”

“Urgent. Gunmen attack a security guard in the Afghan city of Nangarhar, then leave him without a head.”

• November 2: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the Taliban have been unable to put out a fire at a fuel station. The post does not specify the location. However, online posts indicate this occurred in Qala-e Haider Khan, Kabul.

“Update. Taliban militia unable to control a fire at a gas station that burned down after several explosions.”

• November 2: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that unidentified Afghan media outlets have alleged that the Qala-e Haider Khan gas station blaze was the result of an ISIS-K terrorist attack.

“Urgent. Afghan media outlets are talking about a qualitative operation, the latest in the Afghan capital, Kabul.”

• November 2: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the Taliban are likely lying about the source of the Kabul fire. The post notes that the Taliban are liars and that they are “friends” with the Shiites.

“#Urgent. Afghan media outlets talk about a terrorist operation in the Afghan capital, Kabul, targeting the Taliban militia. The Taliban militia said that a fire caused the explosions, but no one believed them, and they described them as liars [sic]. They and the Shiites are friends, so they will fabricate and lie.”

• November 3: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that unknown gunmen murdered a member of the Pakistani government-backed “peace committee” in South Waziristan. The post noted that ISIS has recently been operating in South Waziristan.

“Urgent. An armed attack targeted a peace committee official (affiliated with Pakistani intelligence) in the Sra Ghara area of ​​South Waziristan, which led to his immediate death. It is noteworthy that the South Waziristan region has recently become an area of ​​operations for terrorists.”

• November 3: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that 11 people were killed or wounded in an unidentified explosion in Sar-e-Pul.

“Urgent. An explosion in the Afghan city of Sar-e-Pul resulted in the death or injury of 11 people.”

• November 4: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the Taliban met with the representative of the Maldives in Islamabad but that the Maldivian government later stated that they did not recognize the Taliban. The Maldives recalled their ambassador from Pakistan following the meeting. https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-maldives-ambassador-recalled-meeting-taliban-envoy-f1f16910ef724d228417a575d40d5ec6. 

“Entertainment. Following the Taliban militia statement and media reports about a meeting between the Taliban envoy to Pakistan and the High Commissioner of the Maldives in Islamabad, the Maldives government clarified that the meeting was ‘not approved by the Maldives government.’ The statement added that ‘the Maldives government has taken appropriate action.’ In addition, the Maldives government confirmed that ‘the Maldives recognizes the government representing Afghanistan at the United Nations as the government of Afghanistan.’

“In bold = Do not plead with us. We do not recognize you. This is the fate of those whom Allah has humiliated. There is no honor for them.”

• November 4: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the recent gas station fire in Kabul occurred because of the destruction of a fuel tanker with an explosive device. The post claimed that 20 people were killed and over 150 were injured in the fire.

“Update. Local sources: The cause of the fire in the gas company in Kabul was planting a sticky bomb under a fuel tanker and detonating it as it entered the station.

“The explosion resulted in the near-total destruction of the company and left about 20 dead and 150 wounded among the workers at the station affiliated with the Taliban militia, including the station manager.”

• November 5: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that unidentified individuals attacked a police vehicle in Tank, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing one police officer and injuring four.

“#Urgent. An armed ambush targeted a Pakistani police vehicle in the Tank area of ​​Khyber Pakhtunkhwa city, killing one officer and wounding four others.”

• November 5: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that unidentified militants attacked police vehicles in the Tirah area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, injuring seven.

“#Urgent. An armed attack targeted a Pakistani police convoy in the Tirah area of ​​Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which resulted in seven officers being injured, with varying degrees of injuries.”

• November 6: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that two Chinese nations were wounded in an attack in Karachi, Pakistan.

“#Urgent. Armed attack on Chinese nationals in Pakistan. Two Chinese nationals were injured in the southern Pakistani port city of Karachi on Tuesday, police and hospital officials said. A spokesman for Liaquat National Hospital said two of the victims were still receiving treatment, one of them in critical condition.”

• November 6: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram mocking the Taliban for offering their congratulations to President-elect Trump, noting that afterward, the Taliban “tell you about the bar.”

“Entertainment. Taliban militia congratulates Trump on his election as US president and asks him to strengthen relations with them. Then they tell you about the bar.”

• November 6: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that opium cultivation in Afghanistan has increased under Taliban rule. The post likely references a recent UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODA) report: https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/11/1156566.

“Follow-ups. Opium cultivation in Afghanistan is growing year after year under the rule of the Taliban militia.”

• November 6: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the Taliban are using money from opium cultivation to fight against ISIS.

“For a war on terror, they need a lot of money. It seems that American money is not enough. So, they resort to growing and exporting drugs.”

• November 6: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that two members of a militia affiliated with Pakistani intelligence were killed in an attack in Noshki, Balochistan. The post claims that the militia that was targeted “only operates against terrorists,” likely referring to ISIS. Posts by others indicated that Baloch Liberation Army fighters had committed the attack.

“Urgent. A few moments ago, gunmen attacked two members of the ‘Death Squad’ militia affiliated with Pakistani intelligence, which only operates against terrorists, in the Noshki area of ​​Balochistan, killing them instantly.

“CCTV cameras captured the moment the gunmen carried out their operation. It is also noted that they left the civilians unharmed and withdrew to an unknown location.”

• November 6: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram containing a photo of one of the militia members killed in the Noshki attack.

“Update. One of the members who died in the Noshki attack.”

• November 7: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that four Pakistani soldiers were killed in an attack on a vehicle in South Waziristan.

“#Urgent. An armed ambush targeted a Pakistani army vehicle in the South Waziristan region, killing four soldiers.”

• November 7: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming to show a photo of one of the ISIS-K terrorists who murdered Shiites in Ghor in September. 

“Update. The Taliban militia says that the man in the picture is one of the participants in the qualitative operation against the Afghan Shiite settlers returning from Karbala in Ghor.”

• November 7: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the individual pictured above had fought against “a large force of Taliban militia,” killing several, before being killed himself.

“Update. This man had previously clashed with a large force of Taliban militia who tried to arrest him and offer him as a sacrifice to the Shiites. He resisted them, killed several of them, and then ascended to the throne.”

• November 7: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that ISIS-K previously “eliminated opium cultivation” in their stronghold in Nangarhar, replacing it with grain crops. The post claims that under the Taliban, drug cultivation has increased. 

“Follow-ups. Afghan journalist: During the days of the terrorists’ control over Nangarhar, they eliminated opium cultivation (the drug) and replaced it with useful grain crops (wheat), while during the time of the Taliban militia, drug cultivation flourished, and people went hungry.”

• November 8: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that ISIS operatives have infiltrated the Taliban. The post also noted that some Taliban soldiers have defected “after discovering the falsehood of its approach.”

“Update. Local sources say that the terrorists had infiltrated the ranks of the Taliban militia and were carrying out their activities from within the ranks of the militia, declaring their loyalty to the terrorists, so the militia was tired of tracking them down for a long time.

“The sources say that many elements of the Taliban militia have begun to defect from it and are working against it in security, military, and intelligence matters from within its ranks after discovering the falsehood of its approach.”

• November 8: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that unidentified gunmen murdered a tribal leader loyal to the Taliban in Alishan, Laghman. The post also claimed that unidentified gunmen murdered the owner of a mobile phone store in Gardez, Paktia.

“Urgent. Gunmen assassinate a tribal leader loyal to the Taliban militia named Abdul Ghafoor in the Qala Bay area of ​​​​Alishang district in Laghman.

“Gunmen also attacked the owner of a phone shop near the second security zone in Gardez, the capital of Paktia province, while he was returning home, which led to his immediate death.”

3. ISIS Amaq/Nashir Statements

There were no Amaq/Nashir statements the week of November 2–8.