Myths And Reality About ISKP – OpEd

The Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), an affiliate of ISIS, was formed in Afghanistan in 2015 and has since been responsible for numerous acts of terrorism across Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central Asian Republics (CARs), and even Russia.

While Afghanistan remains ISKP’s primary base; as has been affirmed by various UN reports, the Afghan media outlets (affiliated with the Interim Government) regularly adopt a deflective stance, redirecting blame to other nations—particularly Pakistan, which has been a significant target of ISKP and TTP terrorism. This article examines the historical context, formation, alliances and activities of ISKP in the region.

In 2013, ISIS began a calculated expansion by dispatching emissaries to regions beyond Iraq and Syria, including Afghanistan. Although ISIS suffered a significant setback with its retreat from Iraq in 2014, its plans in Afghanistan were already well underway. By engaging individuals from existing terrorist factions within the country, ISIS began to consolidate its presence. Key figures disillusioned with their former allegiances, such as ex-Taliban (TTA) commanders Abdul Rahim Muslim Dost and Abdul Qahir Khorasani, played pivotal roles in establishing ISKP. In 2015, the group formalized its presence in Afghanistan, appointing Hafiz Saeed Khan, a former TTP commander who had split from TTP leader Fazalullah, as ISKP’s first emir. Over the following years, ISKP continued to build alliances and bolster its ranks. In 2017, it linked up with additional extremist factions, including Jaish-ul-Adl and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi al-Alami, further expanding its militant base. Most ISKP fighters today are either former TTP or TTA members who orchestrate terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other regional countries.

While the core of ISKP’s fighters comprises defectors from the Afghan Taliban (TTA) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), interestingly, the group has also drawn recruits from India. For instance, during the U.S. MOAB strike on Tora Bora in April 2017, 13 Indian militants affiliated with ISKP were killed. Similarly, in 2020, further evidence emerged as Indian nationals, including Mohammed Muhasin and Abu Rawaha al-Muhajir from Kerala, carried out attacks in Afghanistan, underscoring a broader network. The regional security experts also hint at a complex connivance involving Indian and Afghan intelligence agencies to infiltrate Indian nationals into ISKP for their vested interest against Pakistan.

An interesting fact is that Indian media has even provided platforms to known terrorists for propaganda against Pakistan regarding its support to ISKP. Media outlets like Sunday Guardian have been publishing such materials – repeated articles by known terrorist Ehsanullah Ehsan is a case in point. This echoes the EU DisinfoLab’s findings in 2019-20 on Indian dis-info campaign against Pakistan.

Pakistan is worst victim of terrorism and has been actively fighting terrorist groups including ISKP. Relating Pakistan to rendering any support to ISKP amounts to intellectual dishonesty and orchestrated media campaigns. The need of the hour is collectively counter the menace of terrorism instead of using it as proxies.