Afghanistan under the Taliban rule: security implications for the region (with a particular focus on the Central Asia)

Abstract

The research paper has the purpose to examine the security implications of the Taliban takeover and the emergence of the IS-K in Afghanistan for the region and Central Asian countries, with a particular focus on Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Historically, there has been a significant association between the Taliban and Islamic state. The Taliban, who are currently in power in Afghanistan, have not publicly renounced their affiliations with AQ. Nevertheless, the Taliban have given assurances that Afghanistan's territory will not be utilized to harm other nations. There is a significant concern that Afghanistan has transformed into a safe haven for foreign terrorist fighters subsequent to the resurgence of the Taliban. At present, the IS-K, a prominent faction within the broader IS network, is engaged in acts of assault against the de facto government established by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Notably, they are employing similar operational strategies as observed in their activities within the Middle Eastern region. There is the possibility of raise of the third wave terrorism in/from Afghanistan. Hence, the present study aims to investigate the hypothesis regarding the emergence of the IS-K in Afghanistan, and its security implication to the Central Asia.