In a briefing following an incident barely a day prior, where an explosion claimed by ISKP resulted in significant losses amongst Taliban ranks in Badakhshan, a high-ranking Taliban official, the Minister of Vice and Virtue, delivered a public address in Panjshir province, categorically denying the presence of ISKP operatives within Afghanistan.
This statement was made during a “people’s assembly” convened on Thursday, primarily as a counteraction to the escalating public dissent in Badakhshan.

During his speech at the assembly, the Taliban minister emphatically refuted any allegations of ISKP activities on Afghan soil, challenging detractors by stating the absence of tangible evidence to substantiate claims of ISKP operational footprint in the country.

This assertion comes amidst a backdrop of persistent violence, with ISKP openly acknowledging its role in numerous attacks against Taliban forces over the recent years. Notably, this includes a magnetic mine explosion that targeted a Taliban convoy in Badakhshan, resulting in three fatalities and injuring several others. The group’s active claim of responsibility for this and similar acts of violence starkly contrasts with the official stance presented by the Taliban minister, further complicating the security narrative within the region.