Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 67 martyrs in Israeli strikes on Gaza since morning.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in West Bank: Occupation executes large-scale operation in Al-Jamasin, al-Eyada neighborhoods in Old Askar Camp, East of Nablus.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: One person killed in strike that targeted a motorcycle in Al-Mansouri.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone strikes motorcycle in town of Al-Mansouri.
Yemeni Armed Forces: The blockade on the Port of Haifa comes following the successful imposition of the siege on the Port of Umm al-Rashrash, which has since ceased operations
Yemeni Armed Forces: The Port of Haifa is now officially part of our target bank
Yemeni Armed Forces calls on companies with ships currently in the Port of Haifa or en route to it to take into account the contents of the statement and any forthcoming announcements
Yemeni Armed Forces: The imposition of a blockade on the Port of Haifa comes in response to the enemy’s escalation of its brutal aggression against Gaza and the continued siege and starvation
Yemeni Armed Forces: Our decisions and operations against the occupying entity will not cease until the aggression on Gaza ends and the blockade on it is lifted
Yemeni Armed Forces: We have decided to begin enforcing a naval blockade on the Port of Haifa, which is now among our list of designated targets

Who is Behind the Suicide attack on the Russian Embassy in Kabul?

  • Tariq Marzbaan Tariq Marzbaan
  • Source: Al Mayadeen English
  • 7 Sep 2022 23:32
  • 3 Shares
5 Min Read

IS in Afghanistan operates under the name "DAESH Khorasan". The Taleban authorities claimed some time ago that they had fought DAESH and quashed the organisation entirely.

  • x
  • Who is Behind the Suicide attack on the Russian Embassy in Kabul?
    So... what does all this have to do with the attack on the Russian embassy?

On Monday, 4th September a bomb attack was carried out on the Russian Embassy in Kabul. There were numerous Afghan civilian fatalities (25 people according to latest reports); most had been standing in a queue outside the embassy, waiting to apply for visas. Two Russian embassy staff workers were also amongst the dead. Al Mayadeen English reported on the aftermath of this attack in a video.

According to a report by RT-DE on Tuesday, 6th August, the radical Islamist militia IS (formerly ISIS) claimed responsibility for the suicide attack. Apparently, their claim appeared on their Internet site A'maq.  

IS in Afghanistan operates under the name "DAESH Khorasan". The Taleban authorities claimed some time ago that they had fought DAESH and quashed the organisation entirely. Nevertheless, attacks continue to occur, and DAESH continues to claim responsibility for them. So far, their targets have been limited to the Afghan population – mostly the Shiites, the Hazaras or the Hindus. The terror attack on 18th June 2022 on a Sikh temple, which also produced many fatalities, led to a mass emigration of Sikhs who had been living in Afghanistan.

Truth be told, it is no secret in Afghanistan that the boundaries between DAESH and the Taleban are fluid. The "Haqqâni network", in particular, is said to have close links with DAESH... and, in turn, both of these groups have close links with the Pakistani intelligence service ISI. The harbouring of Al Qaeda leader Alzawaheri in Kabul is attributed to this network. 

Journalist Razeq Mamun claims (in Persian) that the Haqqânis carry out terror attacks under the name of DAESH. Moreover, there is fierce competition for power and supremacy between the "Haqqâni network" and another sector of the Taleban, known as the "Kandahar Faction". The roots of this rivalry reach deep into the tribal structures of the Pashtuns. 

The Kandahar Faction is described by some domestic and foreign observers as the "moderate" wing of the Taleban. However, there are no relevant signs of any "moderation" about them so far, except that some of their personalities occasionally make statements that are then interpreted as "moderate".

Related News

US mingling with the Taliban aims at chopping the Chinese mineral supply chain

Wakhan Corridor—a centuries-old Silk Route—is being rejuvenated by China and Afghanistan

Mullah Yaqub, son of Mullah Omar, the founder of the Taleban movement in the 1990s and who is currently serving as defence minister, is considered to be a moderate Taleb within the Kandahar Faction. He became a major talking point some time ago when, to Pakistan's great chagrin, he described India as a reliable and friendly partner from whom he wishes more cooperation and support for Afghanistan. In addition, Mullah Yaqub sees no reason why women should not be allowed to receive an education and participate in office, or why they should have to cover themselves up completely.

While a senior Taleb claimed the Islamic Emârat of Afghanistan has no need of a constitution and that the Sharia laws are sufficient, Mullah Yaqub spoke openly about the importance of a constitution for the country.

On 7th July 2022, Mullah Yaqub apparently travelled to Qatar on his own authority and met with the Amir of Qatar.

He also does not refrain from criticising Pakistan.

So... what does all this have to do with the attack on the Russian embassy?

Just a few days ago, Mullah Yaqub held a meeting in the Bagram military airport with a Russian delegation, who apparently belonged to the Russian intelligence services. What exactly was discussed in these meetings is not known. But Afghan observers of the Taleban have linked the terror attack to this meeting and see it as a message from the Haqqânis and the Pakistani ISI to Russia, Iran and other regional states that apparently have secret relations with Mullah Yaqub.

Also of note is that in May 2022 Mullah Yaqub was the target of an assassination attempt in the city of Jalalabad. It was an attack, over which the Taleban remain silent. However, photos, videos and various testimonies of eyewitnesses in relation to this attack popped up on social networks. Amongst them were claims that this was not the first time that Mullah Yaqub had been threatened and that sooner or later "they" will try again.

Mullah Yaqub has been creating quite a stir for some time because his actions and statements have largely been in opposition to official Taleban policy and certainly against the Haqqâni line. And the Haqqânis fear that, as Mullah Yaqub is the son of Mullah Omar and also hails from Kandahar, he will one day claim the leadership of the Taleban. To what extent and by whom he is supported within the Taleban structures is not known.

 

The opinions mentioned in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Al mayadeen, but rather express the opinion of its writer exclusively.
  • Afghanistan
  • IS-K
  • Taliban
  • Russian embassy
  • Kabul
Tariq Marzbaan

Tariq Marzbaan

Independent researcher of geopolitics, colonialism; Filmmaker

Most Read

All
Why the Israelis cannot win in Gaza or Yemen

Why the Israelis cannot win in Gaza or Yemen

  • Opinion
  • 7 May 2025
The new wave of ‘fact checkers’ and AI machines are mostly extensions of existing media monopolies, which aim to reinforce key messages of the Western hegemonic cartel. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

How Western fact checkers promote fake news

  • Opinion
  • 8 May 2025
Israeli manpower shortages offer a firm reckoning of its Gaza genocide

Israeli manpower shortages offer a firm reckoning of Gaza genocide

  • Analysis
  • 9 May 2025
What should we make of these methodological inconsistencies with international casualty recording standards? (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Who is a civilian? - The shifting standards of reporting in the Syrian context

  • Opinion
  • 9 May 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

More from this writer

All
So we are turning back home, where we have been. In terms of our internal, cultural, spiritual, economic and political movement, it is a movement towards Siberia. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

Navigating the Fog: An Interview with Professor Sergei A. Karaganov

Seeing as there are currently too many insane people in leadership positions in the Western camp, it seems they are deciding in favour of fighting to the bitter and final end. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

The Moribund vs. the Nascent

I personally would not want Russia to become a vast empire again, because the Russian way of building an empire was ultimately at the expense of the Russians themselves. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Geopolitical paradigm shifts and coping with psychopaths: An Interview with Professor Sergei A. Karaganov

"DAESH-Khorasan"/"ISIS K" is ultimately a phantom, a ghost entity in the region in whose name any kind of perfidy can be carried out… a creation for all seasons and for all kinds of dirty work. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

The Hegemon's 'K-Device': Tajiks in the crosshairs

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS