ISIS bid to expand foothold in Afghanistan irks Taliban

The Taliban militant group is troubled with repeated attempts of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria loyalists trying to expand their foothold in Afghanistan, saying it is aware of the problems and consequences the country could face if the ISIS succeeds.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid issued a statement after reports of hoisting of ISIS flags in the restive parts of north-eastern Badakhshan province emerged. The officials said on Saturday that hundreds of the Taliban militants were seen holding ISIS flags in Khostak area of Wardoj district, reports the Khaama Press. Mujahid claimed that the areas of Badakhsahn province, including Khostak in Wardoj district are under the control of the Taliban militants and declared that the Taliban group will not allow any other militant group to gain foothold in the country. The latest statement by Taliban group comes as the two militant groups have been engaged in bloody battles in parts of the country in the past. Both the Taliban and ISIS loyalists declared Jihad against each other in Afghanistan in 2015. Earlier, ISIS leader Abu Bakar Al-Baghdadi called Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar “a fool and illiterate warlord” while on the other hand, Taliban fighters have been ordered by their leaders not to let Daesh flag rise in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, according to a report, the ISIS is also trying to expand its foothold in Southeast Asia by launching a Malay-language newspaper to woo its supporters in the region. The newspaper named Al-Fatihin — meaning “the Conqueror” in Arabic — was launched in southern Philippines on June 20 and is being distributed in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, southern Thailand, as well as southern Philippines.

The move can be seen as an “unofficial warning” that the Malay archipelago is in ISIS sights, an unnamed security expert was quoted as saying in the report by Malay daily Berita Harian.