ISIS-K's online presence weakens under global crackdown

The "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" Khorasan branch (ISIS-K) has seen a sharp decline in its social media presence and following in recent months amid intensified global efforts to curb its online activities, observers say.

The drop in online supporters undermines the extremist group's core recruitment strategy of using the internet to radicalize young people worldwide.

Over the past year, security forces have prevented a spate of ISIS-K-linked attack plots targeting various countries in Europe from being carried out.

"The disillusionment of ISIS-K followers online is encouraging and a positive step for global security," said Ferdows Khatibi, a computer science expert at a private university in Herat.

"The fewer supporters ISIS has on social networks, the fewer security threats it can pose," he said.

Social media has served as a cost-effective recruitment tool for ISIS-K, he added, noting that "the more the group's influence on social networks is limited, the fewer terrorist threats we face."

Public rejection

The group's brutal tactics have alienated even its supporters, analysts say.

"ISIS-K has presented itself to the world as a savage and oppressive group by killing innocent civilians," Herat-based social affairs analyst Farhad Moradi told Salaam Times.

"This has caused a significant decline in public interest or support for the group."

Moradi noted that while ISIS-K exploited religious beliefs through exaggerated propaganda,"people are no longer deceived by the group."

"Almost all of ISIS's victims, from Afghanistan to Pakistan, Iran, Russia, Arab countries and beyond, are civilians," Moradi said, describing ISIS as a "wandering entity" that lacks a popular base and conducts "senseless attacks."

Herat-based civil society activist Parwiz Arya called ISIS a defeated organization.

"Even among its supporters, ISIS no longer enjoys popularity," Arya said. "The terrorist group lacks territory to govern and has no appeal among the public."

"Growing public resentment drives even ISIS's supporters away from the group."

Kabul-based social analyst Ahmad Fawad Rahimi warned that ISIS-K's continued online access threatens global stability.

"From Pakistan and Afghanistan to Arab and African countries, all ISIS branches adhere to the same extremist ideology," he told Salaam Times.

"If this online propaganda is not curtailed, it will pose an even greater threat to global stability," he added.