Kabul Airport Bomber Architect Killed
I am sure everyone can remember the chaotic event of the United States' withdrawal from Afghanistan. The most unfortunate component of that withdrawal was the bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport on August 21, 2021. Thirteen American service members were killed, along with roughly 170 Afghans. Not long after, the Islamic State – Khorasan terrorist group or ISIS-K, claimed responsibility for the attack. ISIS-K is the Islamic State's Afghanistan branch, which still presents significant threats in that region.
Early this morning, news reports indicated that the Taliban killed the mastermind of the 2021 ISIS-K attack. A spokesman for the Pentagon was apparent that the United States was not involved in any way in this operation. While common assumptions may group all Islamic groups together, ISIS and the Taliban are distinct groups. And the Taliban has served as a boundary against terrorist activity in Afghanistan. It would be far-fetched to call the Taliban a U.S. ally, but they are aligned in the mission to combat and destroy ISIS in the region.
It is important to note, while the United States has removed its ground troops from Afghanistan, the military remains active in the Middle East region. The Islamic State and its associated groups have been significantly damaged from its apex strength around 2016-2017. However, the group is still active, hoping for a resurgence. The Taliban has committed to keeping ISIS activity out of Afghanistan, but that does not account for Syria, which is still embattled in civil war struggles, and northern Africa. Africa has been an operating territory for Islamic extremists, predominantly in the form of Boko Haram in Nigeria and al-Shabbab in Somalia and neighboring Kenya. Continued violence in Sudan can potentially exacerbate and further destabilize an already dangerous territory. The Sahel region, which includes Sudan, has had issues of violent extremism and tends to be a functional area for terrorists. If this conflict continues, terrorists and transnational criminal organizations may see an opportunity to exploit vulnerable areas.
Of course, the death of a terrorist leader is always a notable achievement. The United States and its allies should continue to allocate resources to the Middle East and Northern Africa regions to ensure Islamic extremists do not successfully regroup and present new threats to the homeland.