Afghanistan Content Report

April 27 – May 3, 2024

Please note that all items in this issue are concerning ISIS-K

Table of contents

1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletter Edition 441, Published May 2, 2024
2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter
3. ISIS Amaq Statements

Main points (Pro-ISIS online chatter)

• An ISIS attack on a Shiite mosque in Herat killed seven people, including the mosque's imam.
  • The attack showed the Taliban’s inability to protect Hazaras.
  • Iran condemned the attack.
• Iran is beginning work to seal their border with Afghanistan. 

1. ISIS Al-Naba Newsletter Edition 441 Published May 2, 2024

• “Seven dead and several wounded from the apostate Shiites in an attack by Caliphate soldiers on a temple in Herat, western Afghanistan.”

“During this week, the soldiers of the Caliphate killed seven and wounded several among the ranks of the apostate Shiites in an armed attack on their temple in the Herat region in western Afghanistan. In the details, with the grace of God Almighty, on Monday (Shawwal 20), the soldiers of the Caliphate attacked a temple of the apostate Shiites in the town of Guzara, south of the Herat region, with machine guns, which led to the death of seven Shiites, including the temple’s official, and the wounding of others. Praise and blessings be to God.

“Crusader America condemned the attack, as its envoy to Afghanistan said: ‘Our hearts are with those who lost their loved ones,’ as he put it. The United Nations also condemned the attack through its rapporteur in Afghanistan, who offered his condolences to the Shiites and urged that they be provided with the necessary protection. For its part, Shiite Iran expressed its solidarity with those killed and expressed its ‘readiness to enhance cooperation with the government (Taliban militia) in combating terrorism,’ according to the words of its embassy in the capital, Kabul.

“While the spokesman for the Taliban militia described targeting their apostate Rafidi brothers as a ‘crime,’ he added that this targeting ‘could happen in many countries’ in an attempt to cover up their security failure to prevent the attack. The Rafidite apostates are subjected to bloody attacks in various regions of Afghanistan, the most recent of which was in the capital Kabul days before the latest attack.”

• “Last week.”

“Last week, the soldiers of the Caliphate killed and wounded ten Shiites and Taliban apostates by detonating a sticky bomb on a bus in the Afghan capital Kabul.”

• “The Shiites spread their fight as a result of the Mujahideen’s attack on their temple in the town of Guzara in Herat.”

2. Pro-ISIS Online Chatter

• April 29: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that a Shiite mosque in the town of Andishah in Herat was attacked. 

“#Urgent. The attack targeted a Shiite temple in the town of Andishah in the Afghan city of Herat.”

• April 29: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that 11 people were killed in the attack on a Shiite mosque in Herat.

“#Urgent. The attack resulted in the death and injury of 11 Shiite members, an initial toll.”

• April 29: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that the mosque’s imam was killed in the attack.

“#Urgent. Among the dead was the imam of the temple called ‘Javed.’”

• April 29: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram containing footage allegedly of ambulances transporting casualties from the mosque attack to a hospital.

“#Urgent. Ambulances are on the way to transport the dead and wounded Shiites to Shahrak Andisha Hospital.”

• April 29: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that Taliban soldiers had come to the mosque after the attack “to stand with their Shiite brothers.”

“#Urgent. Taliban militia members arrive at the attack site to stand with their Shiite brothers.”

• April 30: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that Iran condemned the attack on a Shiite mosque in Herat and called on the Taliban to arrest those responsible, offering cooperation.

“#News. Iran condemns the attack on the Shiite temple of Sahib al-Zaman, calls on the Taliban to arrest the terrorists, and expresses its readiness to cooperate with the Taliban.”

• April 30: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram stating that the Iranian government is working to close the border with Afghanistan. The post cites the Iranian Tasnim News Agency, which said that $3 billion have been earmarked for this purpose.

“#News. Out of fear of terrorists, the Iranian military authorities announced the start of a plan to close the country’s eastern border with Afghanistan.

“Tasnim News Agency, citing Hassan Makfi, one of the Iranian army commanders in the northeast of the country, reported that four groups of engineers entered the region to implement this plan.

“Hassan added: ‘According to the announcement of the Minister of Interior, $3 billion have been allocated to implement the plan to cut off the eastern border.’”

• April 30: Pro-ISIS post on Telegram claiming that Shiites are sharing a photo of a child killed in the Herat Mosque attack, asking why she was killed. The post claims that the attack was in revenge for “what the Shiites did to the children of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Afghanistan” and noted that Afghan Shiites have fought in Syria in Liwa Fatemiyoun. 

“#Follows. New photos of some of those killed in the attack on the Shiite temple, including a young child.

“A small photo was exploited by the Shiites to spread it, relying on the words of God Almighty, ‘For what sin was she killed’ [Quran Surah Takwir, Chapter 81], forgetting what the Shiites did to the children of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Afghanistan.

“It is noteworthy that the Afghan Shiites in Syria are fighting under the Fatemiyoun banner, and they have been directly involved in killing Muslims and their children and violating their honor.”

3. ISIS Amaq Statements

• April 30: ISIS claims to have killed six people in an attack using firearms on a Shiite mosque in Herat. The mosque’s imam was one of the individuals killed.

“Six apostate Shiites were killed in an attack by Caliphate soldiers on their temple in western Afghanistan.

“By the grace of God Almighty, the soldiers of the Caliphate attacked a temple of the apostate Shiites in the town of Guzara in the Herat region yesterday with machine guns, which led to the death of at least six people, including the imam of the temple, and the injury of others, and all praise and gratitude be to God.”