If deadly Kabul airport explosions were decried as a dark day for Afghanistan, how should we describe the bloodbath that struck Kandahar? Catastrophic? Hell on Earth? Because attacking those trying to flee the new throne might–in some twisted manner–make sense as an act of vengeance but mowing down at least 41 unarmed worshippers with no apparent say in the power circle cannot be condemned strongly enough! The distasteful Friday episode has torn apart all security claims of the Taliban. Their pride in ensuring a “safe environment for all Afghans,” is fast coming across as a flight of fancy. Surely, the security promise looks hollow. And probably to keep up the facade, Kabul is trying its utmost best to contain the terror. With major crackdowns underway, especially in Kabul and Jalalabad, the administration appears determined to end the saga on at least, a convincing, if not winning note. However, heart-wrenching visuals of blood-spattered dead bodies buried deep within debris in a mosque in Kunduz just last week won’t be that easy to sweep under the rug no matter how thick. The terrifying trend has once again trumpeted the war horn for the long-persecuted Shia minority. Since ISIS-K is in no mood to be pushed to a corner, they are very likely to continue attacking the hapless just to send the message across. Sworn enemies of the Taliban, who they denounce as not Islamic enough, they wish to grab the hot seat themselves. It is this aspiration to take up the baton that has turbocharged their ascent from hideouts in Afghanistan’s east to masterminding terror attacks all over. There is no denying the need for Kabul to take stock of its stronghold. Making wild claims about the new order is one thing. But putting their foot down so that those endlessly wedged between the devil and the deep sea finally see the light shining through; an entirely different game! As for Shias, the downtrodden group has long borne the brunt of a double-barrel gun. While the Taliban’s first stint of power systematically discriminated against them (banning Shia rituals and ordering them to pay attributions like non-Muslims), they have largely fallen prey to widespread massacres. The Islamic State is no different. In a bid to appease local extremist Sunnis, the IS has always chosen to rain down on them. Targeting them as “rejectionists” is also a power play to sow sectarian faultlines to its advantage. Though this time, Taliban 2.0 have donned a new robe of unity, waving Shia clerics as governors is not enough to win the masses’ hearts. The IS-K is busy striking at the very foundations of the citadel. Would the Taliban still indulge itself in petty optics or actually try its hands at the governance game is what’d spell the future of this uncertain wasteland. Many sitting outside the stadium are still doing wishful thinking. For them, Afghanistan is still a debate over who won and who lost. But for others living through the tragic turning point, the end-games have just begun! *