IS to disseminate video of Taliban cleric’s murder in an effort to persuade Salafis

Rahimullah Haqqani, a prominent Afghani cleric who perished in a suicide bombing last month, will be assassinated in a propaganda video soon, according to the media arm of the organisation, the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP). The video might be used by an affiliate of the Islamic State to win over Salafists and weaken the Taliban’s hold on power in Afghanistan. Rahimullah Haqqani, well known for his vehement lectures against Da’esh, had at least two prior attempts at murder.

The powerful cleric had mentored numerous Taliban members over the years despite having no formal position in the group’s leadership, according to an AFP report. Haqqani has even lately made public remarks in favour of allowing girls to attend school.

The deceased Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan senior spokesperson Maqbool Orakzai, also known as Abu Kumar Maqbool, is featured on the cover of Da’esh magazine’s eighth issue.

The bombing at Kabul International Airport, which claimed the lives of 13 US service members and numerous civilians last year, is also praised in the journal. After the Taliban took control of the country, the majority of the population attempted to leave Afghanistan. According to Da’esh, the strike was launched to obstruct the US-Taliban handover of power in Afghanistan.

Other articles attack the Taliban, who have been in power in Afghanistan for a year after toppling the Western-backed government on August 15, 2021.

There are absolutely no indications that the level of violence in Afghanistan will decrease any time soon. Since the Taliban took control of the country in August of last year, terrorist operations have significantly increased throughout Afghanistan. Data indicates that the National Resistance Front and Da’esh fighters are becoming more powerful, which will cause the bloodshed to worsen.