AfPak File: How Serious Is The Islamic State Threat In Afghanistan?

In the weeks since the Taliban took over in Afghanistan, the local branch of the Islamic State terror group, IS-Khorasan (IS-K), has intensified its attacks. These have included two recent mass casualty assaults on Shia mosques.

What’s behind IS-K’s recent rash of attacks, and what does it mean for the Taliban, a bitter rival of IS-K? How serious is the IS-K threat, and does the Taliban have the capacity to curb it? The latest episode of The AfPak File addresses these questions and more.

Joining the debate are Dr. Amira Jadoon, an assistant professor at West Point; Tamim Asey, executive chairman of the Institute of War and Peace Studies; Rateb Noori, Afghanistan bureau chief editor for RFE/RL’s Afghan service, locally known as Radio Azadi; and Michael Kugelman, senior associate for South Asia at the Wilson Center.

Muhammad Tahir, Washington DC media manager for RFE/RL, moderates the debate.

This podcast originally appeared on RFE/RL.