Al-Qaeda, ISIS-K seek drones, advanced weaponry

KABUL -- Al-Qaeda and the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" Khorasan branch (ISIS-K) are trying to obtain drones and other advanced military equipment left behind by foreign forces in Afghanistan, a former Afghan police officer said.

"ISIS-K is trying to acquire drones and advanced military equipment for terrorist attacks, while al-Qaeda is also eyeing important equipment left behind by foreign forces in Afghanistan, specifically ... night vision cameras and drones capable of carrying explosives," Gen. (ret.) Abdul Hamid Hamidi, a former Afghan police officer now living in Islamabad, told Salaam Times.

ISIS-K spends considerable sums monthly on recruitment and strengthening of its network in Afghanistan, he said, adding that immediate action is required to prevent this expansion.

These groups are attempting to change their style of warfare, Hamidi said, adding that if they succeed, it could pose a significant new threat to Afghanistan, the region and the broader international community.

A warning call

"ISIS has already carried out suicide attacks on specific targets, and if this group and other like-minded groups acquire drones and heavy military equipment, they will further destabilize the region," said Mujtaba Ahmadi, 46, a resident of Kunduz province.

"The people's demand is that regional and global countries should unite to destroy the international terrorists' hideouts in Afghanistan," he said. "These groups are secretly establishing cells in various parts of Afghanistan, and their destructive activities must be stopped."

With terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS-K on the ground, Afghanistan will remain a source of instability, observers say.

"ISIS views Afghanistan as a crucial point for expanding its 'caliphate,' which is why it spends significant amounts of money each month to recruit members from among the active terrorist networks in Afghanistan," said Ghulam Rasool Tawhidi, an Afghan political analyst based in Germany.

"ISIS and al-Qaeda are working to consolidate their forces and strengthen their bases in the north," he said. "It is likely that over time other groups, including Jundullah, Jamaat Ansarullah of Tajikistan and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, will also draw closer to them and pledge allegiance."

Reports about the covert presence of al-Qaeda in Takhar's border districts are disconcerting local residents, said Hayatullah Mohammadi, 41, of Takhar province.

"We are deeply worried about the secret activities of terrorist groups, especially al-Qaeda, in Takhar," he said.

Mohammadi called on the international community "to take swift action to curb these groups' activities and prevent them from once again destroying the lives of the public."

"Afghans have already endured enough hardships," he added.