A document from the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) of the Taliban, obtained by Afghanistan International - Pashto, has unveiled an ongoing recruitment drive by ISIS, in various parts of Maidan Wardak province.
For the first time, a Taliban’s security entity has verified the recruitment operations of ISIS.
The document expresses concerns that ISIS, using different names, might enlist former Taliban members in Maidan Wardak who abandoned their posts following internal purification efforts, aiming to turn them against the Taliban government for intelligence purposes.
It's noteworthy that the Taliban refer to ISIS as "Khawarij".
The report also discusses the potential for ISIS to infiltrate Taliban ranks, posing a direct threat to Taliban officials through collaborative schemes.
According to the intelligence report, proactive intelligence measures have been initiated across Maidan Wardak's districts to counter ISIS' agenda, which contradicts Sharia law.
Emphasis was placed on seeking support from local mosque imams during these operations.
It also specified that operational duties in Nerkh district were assigned to Mawlawi Wakil, who was tragically killed by ISIS in his own village.
Maidan Wardak's intelligence directorate has made an appeal to Kabul's Directorate 074 for enhanced security measures to protect Taliban operatives in the area.
Additionally, a communication sent to the inhabitants of Syed Abad district contained contact details of Taliban intelligence officers, urging the community to report any activities deemed un-Islamic, suspicious, or illegal to safeguard the Taliban government's stability.
Despite Taliban claims of having subdued ISIS in Afghanistan, the threat posed by ISIS remains significant, particularly challenging the Taliban's intelligence operations.
The severity of the threat was underscored following a devastating ISIS suicide bombing at the New Kabul Bank branch in Kandahar, highlighting concerns over ISIS' potential to infiltrate and undermine the Taliban from within.