The terrorist allegedly responsible for planning the August 2021 bombing at the Kabul, Afghanistan, airport was killed by Taliban fighters in recent weeks, according to ABC News. U.S. officials described the deceased leader of the ISIS Afghanistan chapter known as Islamic State-Khorasan, or ISIS-K, as "the mastermind" of the attack. The 2021 attack killed 13 U.S. service members and at least 170 Afghans.
If you’re looking for more context on this matter, please consider Andrew Mines, senior research fellow at the Program on Extremism at the George Washington University. Mines’ core research focuses on the global Islamic State movement, particularly its leadership and networks throughout Iraq, Syria, and the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. He co-authored a recently published book, The Islamic State in Afghanistan and Pakistan: Strategic Alliances and Rivalries, that focuses on the new questions that arose after the deadly attack on Kabul's airport in August 2021. In the book, Mines’ and his co-author dissect ISK's inner workings and explain its rise and resilience.
If you would like to speak with Mines, please contact GW Media Relations Specialist Cate Douglass at [email protected].
-GW-
