Taliban and the “ISIS in Khorasan” any Confrontation in Afghanistan?
August 24, 2021, 7:01 pm

Afghanistan

The controversy still exists about the nature of the relationship between the Taliban and the "Khorasan Province - ISIS" in eastern Afghanistan, i.e., will there be operations for the Province of Khorasan against the Taliban in the wake of the movement's control of Afghanistan?

It seems that there is competition and the possibility of the Khorasan Province carrying out terrorist operations. Khorasan is hostile to Taliban, who seized power in Afghanistan in mid-August 2021.

Sullivan, US National Security Adviser said that the expulsion of Americans from Afghanistan by Taliban is a "risky process" as it depends on whether the Taliban will continue to allow safe passage to the airport and other emergencies such as a possible attack from a militant group such as Khorasan Province. .

Khorasan Province

Khorasan Province It was founded by a group of militants and defectors from the Pakistan Taliban movement also known as the Punjab Taliban and the Afghan Taliban in 2015. The "Khorasan Province" according to their ideology includes Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, but the organization is still known as "ISIS" in Afghanistan.

A great number of Salafist and jihadists joined the Khorasan Organization, in order to fight other armed movements such as the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, as well as the regional governments. The "Khorasan Province" includes all of Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, but the organization is still known as ISIS in Afghanistan.

The Afghan security forces arrested the leader of the ISIS branch in Khorasan Province in Afghanistan, Islam Farooq, also known as Abdullah Orakzai, during an "intelligence operation" in early April 2020. The Afghan branch of ISIS escalated its attacks in the Afghan capital, often targeting religious minorities.The Khorasan organization has been facing operations launched by the US forces, and by Taliban movement.

The "Khorasan" organization is considered one of the most powerful branches of the "ISIS" organization, because of its ability to spread, especially in the Pakistani tribal areas and the province of "Nanjarhar", and some areas of "Kunar" province; and strength its control over a number of areas, and imposing its strict laws .

The "Khorasan Province" organization is distinguished by the professionalism of its fighters, and their possession of high military and organizational experience, given that most of them were former members of the "Taliban" movement, before they split from it and sold ISIS.

There has been a noticeable increase in the movement of fighters belonging to ISIS to Afghanistan in order to join the so-called "Khorasan Province", in conjunction with the defeats suffered by the organization in Iraq and Syria in 2017.

Confrontation in Afghanistan

It is good to know, that, there is an“ideological” dispute between the Taliban movement and the “Khorasan Province,” the Taliban belong to “Deobandi” ideologically which is the name of a town in the Indian subcontinent, and, it also shares with “Salafist Jihadist” and “Muhammad ibin Taymiyyah.”

It is expected that Afghanistan-Khorasan will witness more polarization to extremist groups, especially joining the Khorasan Province from Iraq, Syria, Africa and Europe, and this means that the Khorasan Province may witness a wide growth of terror in near future.

The competition will remain between the Taliban and the Khorasan Province, because the latter includes large numbers of defectors from the Taliban movement. The possibility of the Khorasan Province carrying out terrorist operations in Afghanistan remains hight, perhaps targeting the corridors leading to the Kabul airport, while large numbers of Afghans are heading to the airport, or targeting the Kabul airport, which is still under the control of the American forces. The scene at Kabul airport will be more complicated if the United States delays the transfer of its nationals and Afghan citizens until after August 31, 2021. levant

By : Jassim Muhammad - Bonn

The_Levant_News

Turkey occupies in the region claiming it protects its national security Invisible Afghanistan

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.