IS to release video of top Taliban cleric’s assassination, aims to win Salafis

Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISKP) will soon release a propaganda video of assassination of senior Afghani cleric Rahimullah Haqqani who died in a suicide blast last month, the group’s media wing Al Azaim Foundation said.

The Islamic State affiliate may use the video to win the Salafist support and undermine the Taliban’s government in Afghanistan. Rahimullah Haqqani, known for his fiery speeches against Da’esh, had survived at least two previous assassination attempts.

While the influential cleric held no official position in Taliban leadership, he had taught many of the group’s members over the years, according to an AFP report. Haqqani had even recently spoken publicly in favour of girls being allowed to attend school.

The eighth issue of Da’esh’s magazine has the cover photo of its slain spokesperson Maqbool Orakzai aka Abu Kumar Maqbool who earlier served as senior spokesperson for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

The magazine also praises last year’s attack at Kabul International Airport in which 13 members of the US military and dozens of civilians were killed. The civilians were trying to flee Afghanistan in the aftermath of Taliban take over. Da’esh said that the attack was meant to disrupt the transfer of power in Afghanistan from the US to the Taliban.

Several other articles criticize the Taliban which has completed one year of rule in Afghanistan after ousting the West-backed government on August 15, 2021.

Violence in Afghanistan remains at a disturbing level with almost no signs of any respite in the days to come. There has been a significant increase in terrorist activities across Afghanistan since the Taliban came to power in August last year. Data shows fighters of the National Resistance Front and Islamic State-Khorasan Province (Da’esh) are growing in strength, leading to further escalation in violence.