Reports about the presence of the self-styled Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Afghanistan trigger a sense of fear and anxiety in the air. The ISIL insurgent group – which was recently involved in stoking sectarian tension in the country – surpasses the Taliban outfits in extremism and radicalization. Their ideology is far more aggressive than that of the Taliban. The ISIL’s relentless insurgents spill the civilians’ blood in more ruthless way to project an image of horror – they maneuver violence and bloodshed the same as the bloodthirsty kings did in the past and declared themselves the divine wrath who have come so that the public atone their sins under their despotism. Likewise, the ISIL’s head Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi claims legitimacy under religious aegis. He may have anything but religion – his practices demonstrate the same fact.

The Taliban’s leader Mullah Muhammad Omar also called himself as “the commander of the faithful” – a fanciful title that ISIL’s leader proclaims. The title “gave him badly needed legitimacy and a new mystique,” wrote Ahmed Rashid in his book Taliban. During the war against the Soviets, he fought alongside other young men of lesser tribes from the south of Afghanistan – as he received an injury in his right eye. Unlike al-Baghdadi, Omar’s war against the former Soviet changed him into a charismatic leader among his people.

Similarly, the founder of Al-Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, lured the naïve individuals by his charisma as he became involved in the jihad in Afghanistan when he opened a half way house in Saudi Arabia for recruits travelling to Afghanistan to fight in the jihad. He is said to have provided very basic military training to high school and college students, as well as fundraised for the jihad. Lawrence Wright explains, “The people who rallied to the Afghan jihad felt that Islam itself was threatened by the advance of communism. Afghanistan meant little to most of them, but the faith of the Afghan people meant a great deal”. In short, he also got magnetism under the mask of spirituality.

Now, al-Baghdadi has resorted to the sacred title of “Amir-ul-Mumineen” (the commander of the faithful) to rule under a religious mask as long as his ploy works. It is believed that he bears no charisma, however, garners the support of the individuals who failed to unfold the lump in their throats, find a mental solace in their lives, deprived of a female bosom buddy or the girls who found no suitors after an endless wait. In other words, the ISIL’s fighters are mostly those who seek to satiate their carnal desires rather than spiritual thirst. They violate women’s dignity and kill ethnic minorities in cold blood on the grounds of their cast, creed, beliefs, etc. Men’s natural and inalienable rights and freedom are trampled upon without an iota of humanity. Their practices are utterly devoid of ethical code and religious values. Therefore, the armed groups, mainly ISIL, who claim to act upon a certain ideology or religious code, practice whatever suit their tastes rather than being ideologue, excluding very few.

The ISIL spews forth venom to the entire world and Afghanistan is no exception. Off late, it was reported that ISIL has launched a radio station in Afghanistan to recruit fighters and stir up anti-government sentiment. The one-hour-long Voice of Caliphate broadcast in Pashto language was started in eastern Nangarhar province by supporters who pledged allegiance to ISIL. “The ISIL militants in Afghanistan are growing stronger and this radio channel is helping them recruit fighters which will make them even stronger.

Their aim is to brainwash people through this radio channel. However, we are trying to track it and shut it down,” Achin district governor Haji Ghalib is quoted as saying.

There are also reports that members of ISIL group has entered Nangarhar province by helicopter. The political figures previously predicted the ISIL’s firm foothold in the country and its struggle to establish a link to the Iraq and Syria’s leadership. The recent news about the ISIL’s activities is a matter of great concern for the public.

In another item, the emergence of ISIL group on one hand and the heavy offensives of the Taliban militants on the other hand have filled the air with fear and disappointment.

However, the deputy chief of Army staff Murad Ali Murad said, “There is no report on transferring of Daesh militants to Nangarhar. But we do not reject that Taliban and Haqqani network supports to Daesh.”

Fighting to reconstitute the historical Khorasan into the so-called “caliphate” of Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi, the ISIL also poses threat to the Taliban through battling and creating gap between the Taliban’s warring elements. However, a number of the Taliban militants have pledged allegiance to the ISIL and turned their arms against their former loyalists and religious brethren – this is a serious blow to the Taliban.

Regarding the Taliban militants – who have wrecked great havoc on country’s political and economic issues – Afghan officials seek to resume peace talk and resolve the issue through diplomatic way, the fruition of this strategy is yet under doubt. However, the role of ISIL is taken less serious and no effective mechanism has been adopted to prevent from its active presence. It would be more reasonable to deal with the armed groups, mainly ISIL, militarily. Afghan soldiers must be reinforced to curb the security crisis.