Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul’s airport on Thursday, transforming a scene of desperation into one of horror in the waning days of an airlift for those fleeing the Taliban takeover. According to Afghan and US officials, the attacks, which have been claimed by the IS, killed at least 60 Afghans and 12 US troops. Afghanistan was witnessing a peaceful transition but it seems some forces are at work to derail the process and push the country into a fresh cycle of bloodshed and chaos. The United States has vowed to track down the perpetrators of the crime but it is clear that such investigations are not always straight and clear and often driven by political and geo-strategic motives.
General Frank McKenzie, head of US Central Command, has revealed that US commanders were on alert regarding more attacks by Islamic State, including possible rockets or vehicle-borne bombs targeting the airport. It is encouraging to learn that intelligence sharing is being carried out between the US and Taliban at this critical juncture where spoilers are seeking to create chaos and disrupt a transition from taking place.Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has instructed the Pentagon to develop operational plans to strike ISIS-Khorasan assets, leadership and facilities in Afghanistan. While such a response from the US is expected, what the reprisal will entail raises some questions and concerns.
However, gruesome as the airport bombing was, it offers an opportunity for all Afghan forces to disregard their differences and join forces — aided by the international community — against the IS threat. The world has seen in Iraq and Syria the brutal violence the self-styled caliphate is capable of. The threat of IS in Afghanistan has also been highlighted in these columns previously. Therefore, ignoring the threat will help create a regional security nightmare. While the Taliban control most of Afghanistan, those opposed to their rule, primarily in the Panjshir area, have vowed to stick to their guns. In the interest of security, the Taliban and Panjshiri forces must work together to eliminate the IS threat from Afghan soil.
In reaction to the bombing, US President Biden has said he will strike back at IS. But instead of indulging in any gung-ho operations, there should be a unified anti-IS effort in Afghanistan led by the Taliban and other Afghan groups, and aided by foreign forces including Nato as well as Russia and China. Afghans know their country best and it should be left to them to purge it of IS. However, such an operation does come with risks. After all, the more hard-line members of the Taliban may break ranks with the group’s leadership and join forces with IS, as was the case during the Taliban-US negotiations. Be that as it may, leaving IS to its devices in Afghanistan will help create a new monster.
Not only will a rejuvenated IS rampage across Afghanistan, it will pose a grave threat to all major regional states, including Pakistan. Again, mention must be made of Syria and Iraq, where foreign interference and collapse of governance gave the soldiers of the ‘caliphate’ an open playing field. The effects of this folly were felt in the West also, as acts of terrorism increased globally. Therefore, mistakes of the past must not be repeated in Afghanistan, and Afghan forces must lead an internationally supported effort to disable IS in the country.
Shafaqna Pakistan
pakistan.shafaqna.com
