On the phenomenon of so-called Islamic State (IS) in Afghanistan

Status

closed

Topics

  • Agents and Patterns of Security and War

So-called Islamic State (IS/Da’esh) constitutes a global threat. This can be seen not only in the latest attacks in Europe but also in the expansion of the terrorist organization in the Muslim world. The significance and implications of the IS phenomenon in Afghanistan (IS-Khorasan) are contentious issues, despite attacks and atrocities having been committed there in the name of so-called Islamic State since early 2015. It is not only unclear what the actual spread of and support for IS in Afghanistan is, but also what connections, if any, to Syria and Iraq as the heartland of IS, exist, for example through financing, command structures and recruitment networks. Similarly in question is how authority is exercised at the local level in Afghan districts and how attractive the Salafist–Wahhabi ideology is for the Afghan population and those belonging to other militant groups operating in Afghanistan. In order to enable political decision-makers to meet this challenge in an informed and appropriate manner, BICC analyses, together with its Afghan partner organization TLO, and funded by the German Federal Foreign Office, the “IS phenomenon” in Afghanistan in a 10-month project based on qualitative research.

Project Leader

Project Team

Funder

  • Federal Foreign Office, Germany

Duration of project

2016

Publications

bicc Policy brief

Mielke, K., & Miszak, N.

Jihadi-Salafism in Afghanistan—Beyond Taliban, Al-Qaeda and Daesh: Options for German foreign and development policy

BICC , Bonn (2017)

Open
bicc Working paper

Mielke, K., & Miszak, N.

Making sense of Daesh in Afghanistan: A social movement perspective

BICC , Bonn (2017)

Open
Other publications

Mielke, K.

Afghanistan: Ist der IS auf dem Vormarsch? Welt-Sichten, No. 4/2017, 6-7.

(2017)

Open
Other publications

Mielke, K.

Islamischer Staat auch in Afghanistan? Aus der Perspektive der Forschung. Südasien, 37(1), 38-41.

(2017)

Open