No one claimed responsibility for the attack during the awards ceremony for journalists at the Tabian Farhang Centre in Mazar-e Sharif, but the Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) is the primary suspect, since it is a key rival of the Taliban and has intensified its attacks of late. ISIS-K seeks to regain control over lost territory in eastern Afghanistan, and it isn’t targeting only the Taliban. In February, ISIS-K threatened to launch jihad terrorist attacks against the embassies of India, Iran and China. A little over a week ago, “at least four Islamic State [IS] Khorasan commanders wanted in India” were shot down by “unknown gunmen in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area of Pakistan, as well as Afghanistan.” According to the UN, ISIS-K aims to “undermine the relationship between the Taliban and the UN member states in the Central and South Asia region.” But no country should be accepting of or negotiating with the Taliban in the first place, any more than they should with the Islamic State. As these two jihad terror groups kill each other, innocent people will continue to be caught in the crossfire. But few care about anything, beyond whatever political interests are in play.
This is the true picture in Afghanistan that involves the Taliban, ISIS-K, the Biden administration and also China; all are vying for an upper hand for investment in a country rich in natural resources:
The fallout from the chaotic U.S. exit from Afghanistan and the return of Taliban rule has dealt yet another blow to President Joe Biden’s administration, this time in the form of increased Chinese investment in the neighboring Islamic Emirate, a country rich in highly sought-after natural resources.
But as Beijing and Washington intensify their competition in the market of lucrative and often rare elements, a growing campaign by the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) to target Chinese interests in Afghanistan may prove a spoiler for Beijing’s interests in Afghanistan’s mineral wealth, a treasure trove potentially worth trillions.
“Bomb attack targets awards ceremony for journalists in Afghanistan,” PA News Agency, March 11, 2023:
A bomb has exploded during an awards ceremony for journalists in Afghanistan, killing at least one person and wounding five others.
The blast occurred at the Tabian Farhang centre in Mazar-e Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, as journalists gathered for the event on Saturday morning, said Mohammad Asif Waziri, the Taliban-appointed spokesman for Balkh police.
It came two days after a bomb in Mazar-e-Sharif killed the provincial governor, Daud Muzmal, and two others. Four were wounded.
The injured in Saturday’s blast included Najeeb Faryad, a reporter for Aryana News television station, who said he felt like something hit him in the back, followed by a deafening sound before he fell to the ground.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack but the regional affiliate of the Islamic State group — known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province — is a key rival of the Taliban.
The militant group has increased its attacks in Afghanistan……