RASC News Agency: Recently, Esfandiar Mir, a senior expert at the Peace Institute of the United States, stated that the “main base” of the ISIS Khorasan branch is under the control of the Taliban in Afghanistan. According to a report released by the Peace Institute of America on Monday night, Apr 1, Esfandiar stated that the intention of the ISIS Khorasan branch, with the recent attack on the outskirts of Moscow, was to demonstrate its capability to strike anywhere in the world.
Esfandiar believes that the recent attack by ISIS on the outskirts of Moscow was aimed at “enhancing their growing capacity to instill terror beyond their present territory.” He added, “ISIS Khorasan, the Afghanistan branch of the group in the Middle East, was first established in early 2015 and has since remained active in the region, continuing its war there.”
Esfandiar stated that when the United States had its forces in Afghanistan, they knew that the ISIS Khorasan branch targeted them, and eventually, this attack took place at Kabul Airport. He emphasized that the ISIS Khorasan branch has been “extremely resilient” and, after attacking countries in the region, has now expanded into parts of Europe.
According to this report, the competition between the ISIS Khorasan branch and the Taliban is driven by “ambition,” and this group aims to portray itself as the “boldest terrorist group in the region and the vanguard of jihad worldwide.” The senior expert at the Peace Institute of America stated that the reason for ISIS’s attack on the outskirts of Moscow is Russia’s support for the Assad regime in Syria.
The attack by the ISIS Khorasan branch on a concert on the outskirts of Moscow has raised serious concerns globally. Many lawmakers in the United States and officials from neighboring countries have declared that strengthening terrorist groups under the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan is extremely alarming.
In the latest development, General Frank McKenzie, the former head of CENTCOM, warned that the ISIS Khorasan branch is determined to attack the United States. However, the Taliban has consistently claimed to have suppressed this group in the country and that Afghanistan poses no threat to regional countries, especially neighboring ones.
