Several days of intensified security efforts in northern Afghanistan culminated in a nighttime raid that reportedly killed six individuals tied to the Islamic State (ISIS). Local Balkh authorities confirmed the operation occurred around midnight in the Nahr Shahi district, resulting in the deaths of six ISIS members roughly three and a half hours after the confrontation began. The incident was described by Balkh police official Mohammad Asif Waziri as a decisive strike conducted during a period of heightened security campaigns by Taliban forces against the group.
In recent weeks, the Taliban have stepped up their involvement against ISIS in Balkh, especially following a March 9 suicide attack that claimed the lives of Balkh’s governor and three others. Security sources indicate several high-ranking ISIS members were eliminated in subsequent operations. The General Intelligence Directorate of Afghanistan, the Taliban government’s main intelligence agency, identified several figures among those killed, including Zainuddin, described as the interim head of operations in northern Balkh and a prominent ISIS public figure; Abu Omar Afridi, a member of the ISIS council; and Ustad Salman Tajikistani, who oversaw military training.
Despite the surge in counterterrorism activity, Taliban officials continue to portray ISIS as firmly under control. Zabiullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban interim government, reiterated this position during a recent interview on a local radio station, emphasizing that security forces are managing the threat and maintaining stability across the region.
Since the Taliban returned to power about eighteen months ago, security confrontations have led to the deaths of many suspected ISIS members in operations carried out to fulfill security guarantees cited by the new government during its ascent to power. While ISIS has faced ongoing pressure, the group has continued to claim responsibility for attacks across the country in recent months. Afghan officials and security experts note persistent competition between the Taliban and ISIS, marking ISIS as a major security challenge in Afghanistan as the two groups vie for influence and power following the 2021 political transition.
Analysts observe that the tempo of operations appears to reflect a broader strategy to curb ISIS activity, including targeted detentions and high-profile eliminations. Observers caution that while leadership figures may be removed, the risk remains due to the networked, decentralized nature of ISIS in the region. The situation in Balkh, a province long shaped by conflict and strategic significance, continues to illustrate the fragile security balance as Afghan authorities seek to demonstrate progress in counterterrorism while navigating ongoing regional instability. The evolving dynamics suggest that cooperation among security sectors, community resilience, and credible reporting will be essential in assessing the true scope of the threat and the effectiveness of the security measures deployed in the months ahead. (Source attribution: General Intelligence Directorate, Taliban administration; ongoing assessments by regional security analysts.)