Taliban Confirms Arrest of Senior ISIS Member Beyond Durand Line, Validating Earlier Warnings
The Taliban administration’s spokesperson has confirmed the arrest of a senior ISIS member in areas beyond the Durand Line, stating that it validates their previous warnings about ISIS’s presence and activities in those regions.
Zabiullah Mujahid, in an audio message to the media, said the Taliban administration had repeatedly expressed concern over the existence of ISIS safe havens and key figures beyond the Durand Line through press conferences and media disclosures. According to him, the outcomes of these warnings are now evident.
Based on the Taliban spokesperson’s statements, the arrest of significant ISIS members outside Afghanistan indicates that the group had established bases there and high-ranking figures were present. He added that these individuals’ presence had been “exploited,” a matter the Taliban had frequently highlighted beforehand.
These remarks come after Turkish state media reported on an extensive operation conducted by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization in areas along the Durand Line. According to these reports, a Turkish citizen with a key role in ISIS’s structure has been detained.
Anadolu Agency, citing security sources, announced that the arrested individual is named Muhammet Gören and was active in the ISIS Khorasan branch. The report states that he was responsible for organizing suicide attacks against civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, and several European countries.
The report further notes that Turkish intelligence had discovered this individual traveled from Turkey to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border areas, received training in ISIS camps, and gradually rose to a leadership position within the group.
Recent developments have once again highlighted concerns about regional security and the management of the ISIS threat. Critics argue that mere claims and media statements are insufficient to combat this transnational network, emphasizing the need for transparency, regional cooperation, and practical accountability.
