KABUL/JALALABAD: A deal between the Taliban and the United States for US forces to withdraw from their longest-ever war in Afghanistan could drive some diehard Taliban fighters into the arms of the IS group, Afghan officials and militants say.
Such a deal is expected to see the United States agree to withdraw its forces in exchange for a Taliban promise they will not let Afghanistan be used to plot international attacks.
As part of the pact, the Taliban are expected to make a commitment to power-sharing talks with the US-backed government and work out a ceasefire.
The Afghan affiliate of IS, known as IS Khorasan (ISIS-K), after an old name for the region, first appeared in eastern Afghanistan in 2014, and has since made inroads into other areas, particularly the north.
The US military estimates their strength at 2,000 fighters. Some Afghan officials estimated the number is higher, and could be about to get a boost.
“It’s a big opportunity for Daesh to recruit fighters from the Taliban, and, no doubt, many Taliban fighters will happily join,” said Sohrab Qaderi, a member of the provincial council in Nangarhar province on the border with Pakistan, referring to IS.
IS militants, who battle government forces and the Taliban, and have carried out some of the deadliest attacks in urban centres, will not be part of the deal between the United States and the Taliban.
For some Taliban, IS will offer an opportunity to continue against those they see as infidels and their supporters. For others, who fear retribution if they try to reintegrate into society, it could be a refuge.
“They’ve killed and been killed, they have feuds,” Qaderi said of the Taliban. “Many fighters won’t feel safe returning to normal life.”
A spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani said there was a major concern about the growing strength of IS and their attraction for some Taliban.
“Most Daesh are ex-Taliban, and there could be a possibility of some Taliban joining,” said the spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi.
“The Afghan government and the US have shared goals combating terrorism. We need the support of our international partners.”
The government has a reintegration programme for insurgents who surrender but critics say it can take too long for people to be vetted and the care they get is inadequate.
But a Taliban commander and some members of the group dismissed the possibility of fighters breaking ranks to join IS. — Reuters
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