Taliban forces have apprehended several key members of ISIS in Herat province. The arrests, carried out by the Taliban’s Special Forces over the past few days, were reported by Al-Marsad, a Taliban-affiliated media outlet, on June 2nd.
According to Al-Marsad, those detained played crucial roles in various ISIS operations in the region, including the attack on worshippers in Guzara district in April. The report also indicates that this ISIS network in Herat was under the direction of the operational branch of ISIS based in Balochistan, Pakistan. Some of the arrested members were reported to have traveled to Balochistan recently.
Further insights suggest that after facing suppression in Afghanistan, ISIS-Khorasan’s leadership relocated its command center to Balochistan, from where it continues to orchestrate activities across Afghanistan and other regional countries.
Herat’s deputy governor, Mr. Farahi, confirmed the arrests on social media platform X, highlighting the detainees’ involvement in the April 30th attack on Imam Zaman Mosque in Guzara’s Mohammadia township.
This development marks a critical blow to ISIS operations in Western Afghanistan, reinforcing the ongoing efforts to curb militant activities in the region.
