[AfghanDigest] LAST 24 HOURS
- US GOVERNMENT LEAK CLAIMS AFGHANISTAN IS NOW A PLANNING HUB FOR ISIS – A leaked document, purported to have been assembled by the Pentagon, contains detailed assessments from US intelligence agencies about ISIS in Afghanistan. The documents reveal the US had successfully intercepted plans that targeted embassies, churches, business centers, and the FIFA tournament. According to the documents, Pentagon officials are tracking 15 international operations that have been proposed by ISIS. Some conclusions the report has proposed and subsequent commentary from US leaders are:
- ISIS is using Afghanistan for centralized planning but has developed a cost-effective decentralized execution network for funding attacks.
- The US recognized the Taliban and US interests are aligned on the ISIS issue and the Taliban has been somewhat successful in putting pressure on the terror group.
- It is not currently clear how much autonomy or influence ISIS-K enjoys/exerts on the international leadership based in Syria.
- One of the most troubling findings in the report concern ISIS’s recruitment of technical and engineering specialists over the last 3 years. Many believe this targeted recruiting is meant to facilitate a chemical attack. However, analysts seemed to agree these efforts had suffered a setback when the caliphate collapsed.
- No evidence exists that al-Qaeda has established a presence in Afghanistan.
- The documents, if authentic, demonstrate how well intelligence agencies have successfully penetrated ISIS operations. In the summary, analysts projected that ISIS would be restricted to small-scale manufacturing of conventional, chemical, or biological weapons but would have difficulty in deploying such weapons successfully.
- CLARIFICATION RECEIVED ABOUT TAKHAR CLASHES REPORTED YESTERDAY – The Taliban have confirmed that a clash reported in the Darqad District of Takhar Province that resulted in the deaths of 3 Taliban members was the result of an inter-Taliban rivalry.
- MORE AFGHANS REPORTEDLY ROUNDED UP IN KARACHI – An NGO in Pakistan’s Sindh Province reported that 11 Afghans had been arrested by Police yesterday and that many were officially registered with the United Nations as well as possessing legitimate visas and passports.
CONFLICT TRACKER
Logar: Taliban officials in Pul-e Alam announced they had arrested 2 purported ISIS-K terrorists dressed in women’s clothes. They said the terrorists planned on disrupting Eid al-Fitr celebrations but did not provide specifics.
NEXT 24 HOURS
THREAT TO NORTHERN CHECKPOINTS REMAINS – No attacks were carried out over the previous twenty-four hours but security at the vehicle processing points in Northern Kabul was increased. It is still unclear who had threatened the installations, but the Taliban seem to be taking the threat seriously and we urge at-risk Afghans to avoid the areas for the next twenty-four hours. |