Daily Times

Are they or are they not — that is the question. The bombing that killed more than 35 civilians in Jalalabad, Afghanistan on Saturday was immediately claimed by dreaded militant group Islamic State (IS) no sooner had the final death count been announced. Now, an IS spokesman claims that it was not behind the attack and NATO, US officials are inclined to believe this statement. So, if not IS, then who?

Afghanistan has been and continues to be a hotbed of Taliban violence, with the Jalalabad attack displaying all the hallmarks of a Taliban atrocity and cruelty towards innocent civilians. Most likely, Taliban militants were responsible and are now jumping onto the IS bandwagon because of the brand the Middle East group has become. It has captured large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, it has effectively brandished the weapon of fear to instil terror in the hearts of governments and people all around the world and has become what many militant groups aspire to be: the most successful and rich terror organisation yet. It should not be surprising then that splinter groups and other militant factions are claiming attacks in the name of IS to show some kind of warped loyalty and take advantage of the IS name. The Taliban are being persuaded to engage in negotiations to bring badly needed peace to Afghanistan. The fact that they are still carrying out attacks, killing innocent civilians, is not going to endear them to those in government desirous of a dialogue.
On the other hand, the Taliban have also announced their routine ritual to usher in the spring fighting season: ramping up attacks against the state, security forces, foreign targets and government officials. The Taliban spring offensive occurs every year when the warmer weather facilitates the movement of fighters and arms. Yes, the last few months have been a lull for the typically brutalised country; God help the people if things get worse now. While it may be cause for a mild sigh of relief that IS has distanced itself from involvement in Afghanistan, it must not be forgotten that there are many factions within the Taliban that are ready to pledge allegiance to IS, foregoing any loyalty to Mullah Omer who has been underground for too long, leaving militants agitated and looking for new leadership.
IS is an enigma for militants worldwide. It should not be surprising if copycat attacks take place and if more are claimed in their name. Afghanistan is in for a tough season ahead. *