How terror group ISIS-K grew in Afghanistan while fighting Taliban & US
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ISIS-K has reportedly fought both US and coalition troops including the Taliban in Afghanistan and is known for its brutal attacks.
Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) which claimed responsibility for the Kabul airport suicide bombing on Thursday first appeared in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014.
It reportedly began by launching attacks in rural areas in Afghanistan however as it grew the scale of attacks increased in the country over the years. It was rated as one of the top four deadliest terrorist organizations in the world three years ago by the Institute for Economics and Peace Global Terrorism Index.
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It had earlier carried out suicide attacks in Kabul. The terrorist group had also targeted a Sufi mosque in Afghanistan's capital.
In 2017, the US government under former president Trump had ordered a plane to drop a 20,000-pound bomb, known as the MOAB (Mother of All Bombs) on a cave linked to ISIS-K target in Achin district in eastern Afghanistan.
ISIS-K has reportedly fought both US and coalition troops including the Taliban in Afghanistan. The terrorist organisation is reported to be rooted in Kunar, Nangarhar and Nuristan provinces in Afghanistan.
According to the UN, it has active fighters with "sleeper cells" in parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
"Khorasan" is a region historically linked to Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia.
ISIS-K had earlier suffered great losses due to the Taliban and US operations in its region however now it concentrates its strategy on high-profile attacks.
According to reports, it was formed by hardline elements of the Pakistani Taliban who had reportedly fled Afghanistan after Pakistan officials crackdown as it pledging allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and was recognised by the Islamic State in Iraq.
(With inputs from Agencies)