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US exit will stop ISIS attacks in Afghanistan, Taliban says

2021-08-30 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-亚洲原网页

KABUL (AFP) - The Taliban's spokesman says the hardline Islamist group will crack down on Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) attacks and expects them to end once foreign forces leave the country.

"We hope that those Afghans who are influenced by IS... will give up their operations on seeing the formation of an Islamic government in the absence of foreigners," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP in a weekend interview.

"If they create a situation for war and continue with their operations, the Islamic government... we will deal with them," he added.

A devastating suicide bomb attack claimed by ISIS outside Kabul airport on Thursday (Aug 26) killed scores of people who were hoping to flee the country, as well as 13 US service members.

Retaliatory or pre-emptive strikes by the United States on ISIS positions over the past few days have angered the movement, however.

The Pentagon said it carried out a drone strike Sunday against a vehicle threatening Kabul airport that had been linked to ISIS.

"There is no permission for them to do such operations... our independence must be respected," he said.

The evacuation of tens of thousands of foreigners and Afghans who feel at risk of reprisal or repression under the Taliban is due to end on Tuesday, along with the full withdrawal of US and NATO troops.

ISIS has been highly critical of the troop withdrawal deal struck between the Taliban and Washington last year, which saw the Taliban offer security guarantees.

One ISIS commentary published after the fall of Kabul accused the Taliban of betraying terrorists with the US withdrawal deal and vowed to continue its fight, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant communications.

During the Taliban's prison break spree this summer to free its fighters, many battle-hardened ISIS militants were also released - increasingly looking like a lethal error.

Although both groups are hardline Sunni Islamist militants, they have differed on the minutiae of religion and strategy, while each claiming to be the true flag-bearers of their cause.

In recent years, the ISIS Afghanistan-Pakistan chapter has been responsible for some of the deadliest attacks in those countries.

They have massacred civilians at mosques, public squares, schools, and even hospitals.