ISKP founding member surrenders to Taliban govt in Afghanistan

One of the founding members of ISKP terrorist group, also known as the Islamic State in Khorasan province (ISKP or ISIS-K), has surrendered to Taliban-led government in Afghanistan.

The development came during a meeting held in the country’s Nangarhar province on Friday that was attended by security officers and local Taliban authorities.

The renowned ex-Taliban leader and ISKP regional chief Shaikh Abdul Rahim Muslim Dost, surrendered to the Taliban authorities in the capital of eastern Nangarhar province.

Last year, Dost parted ways with the ISKP and became a vocal critic of the terrorist group. He was also among the Taliban leaders who fought against Western forces in Afghanistan.

Also read: ISKP will have to pay ultimate price’, US warns terror group

The ISKP, despite its small numbers, has proved lethal and took credit for several major terrorist attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

According to data collected by Islamabad Policy Research Institute – IPRI, 515 people were killed, while 893 were injured in eight attacks by the ISKP in Pakistan. In 22 attacks, the group carried out in Afghanistan, 912 people were killed and 1,597 injured from 2016 to 2021.

US President Joe Biden had also warned the ISKP that it will have to "pay the ultimate price" after it claimed the responsibility of a horrific attack at Kabul airport last year in August.

“To ISIS-K we are not done with you yet,” Biden said in his address to the Americans, a day after his country pulled out the last of its troops from the war-ravaged country, bringing to an end to its 20-year long war.

“To those who wish America harm, we will hunt you down and you will pay the ultimate price,” he said in a stern warning to the ISIS-K, which has emerged as a major threat to regional peace.