Commenting on concerns about Daesh’s presence in Afghanistan, Ahmad Zia Siraj, the former head of the National Directorate of Security, has said that during the final years of Afghanistan’s republic, Daesh was behind 2% of attacks in the country. In contrast, he said, the Taliban and allied groups accounted for 98%.
The republic fell to the Taliban in August 2021. In the time leading up to this, Kabul and other major cities experienced nearly daily blasts or targeted attacks starting in late 2019. Siraj attributed 98% of these “destructive activities,” which included mosque bombings, school arsons, and civilian casualties, to the Taliban and its affiliates.
He highlighted the depth of challenges faced by Afghanistan’s former government over two decades, emphasizing the role of Afghan security and defense forces in countering terrorism.
“The sacrifices made by the Afghan security and defense forces in the war against terrorism also indirectly safeguarded the security of regional countries,” Siraj stated.
According to Siraj, these forces paid a heavy price, representing the interests of neighboring countries.
He cautioned that other groups might emulate Daesh and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), suggesting that it’s only a matter of time before they act.
This statement follows another revelation by Rahmatullah Nabil, another former intelligence chief, who on Tuesday disclosed that Daesh has fragmented into three factions in Afghanistan under Taliban dominance.
