Afghanistan under the pressure of the Taliban and the Islamic State

Afghanistan is once again in trouble with Islamic terrorist groups. If the pressure coming from the Taliban has never ceased, now the Afghan country is also struggling with the Islamic state, which, contrary to what happens in Iraq, would be gaining ground in the eastern parts of the country. The activity of the Afghan regular forces has been intensified in recent times to contain Taliban attacks and the Islamic state through counter-terrorism, who are struggling to stem the action of fundamentalists come to control about 39 districts of the country. According to the Institute for the Middle East of Washington, the tactics of Islamist fighters would be to focus on the achievement of lower portions of the territory, easier to control and to defend. As for the Islamic state, its composition is still too small to try to launch large-scale attacks, the perception is that his tactic is to make attacks of great media coverage, to try to attract fighters, in a country sensitive to Islamic fundamentalism of Sunni matrix. Not a random attack that has created quite a stir has been made in Kabul against the Shiite minority and that has claimed more than 80 victims. So, although with a number of militiamen still contained, the threat of the Islamic State began to take on more definite contours and dangerous, because of the great appeal of his message, which would tend to create a caliphate, like the one in Syria and Iraq, all ' internal Afghan borders. For the strategists of the Islamic State of Afghanistan is an excellent breeding ground for ideas propounded that might favor the construction of a sort of sovereign entity where in an integral sense to apply Islamic law, so as to constitute a big draw for foreign fighters . It is understandable that one of the reasons for this is the way to move the conflict against the West in Afghanistan, to replenish the fundamentalist threat, destined to be lost, at least militarily, Syria and Iraq. The strategy could be backed up by that part of the Taliban that is found to be disappointed for a substantial immobility of the war against Kabul, which continues to be on the same positions. The emergence of the Islamic State could constitute a new element, seen as a factor capable of subverting the democratic government, still seen as a Western ally. You might as well check the coincidence of two goals from two substantially different subjects, the Taliban and the Islamic state, which, however, from allies could win back the country and submit it back to a sectarian regime. It is understandable that this possibility represents too great a threat to the United States, but not only, the geographical proximity of Afghanistan should be remembered with the former Soviet countries and Russia itself and also with China: all nations that share the problem relations with Islamic extremism. Washington, for its part, has earmarked the huge sum of $ 5 billion, through 2020 to assist Afghan forces against fundamentalist advanced, a sign that the US does not underestimate the problem; the difficulty appears, however, once again the military preparation of the country and the consequent need for the presence of foreign actual at his side. Further evidence of the negative situation is the greatest need for aid in war material and troops, compared to the need for humanitarian aid, which is, however, a substantial voice in the Kabul budgetary needs. The US military's statements, which speak of a poor attitude in combat, by terrorists, is, therefore, in direct conflict with the financial aid for the Afghan army, even though the economic contribution could also be read as a preventive methods to prevent a greater return of fundamentalists in the country. In any case, the pacification of Afghanistan still seems far away, even for the non-resumption of negotiations with the Taliban who do not back off from their main condition for sitting down at the negotiating table: the total abandonment of the American presence from the country. In light of recent developments, however, have not satisfied this request seems to have been the right decision.