Taliban Arrests ISIS Leader for ‘Anti-Islamic Activities’

The Pajhwok Afghan News reported the Taliban captured Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) leader Mullah Abdul Rauf Khadim along with 45 supporters. The United States detained Khadim at Guantanamo Bay, but released him to Afghanistan in 2007.

Afghan security officials did not confirm the detention, but a Taliban commander relayed the information to Pajhwok Afghan News. Orders for Khadim’s arrest came from Taliban Governor Mullah Abdul Rahim Akhund “because he was against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the Taliban’s official name” and “involved in anti-Islamic activities.” Taliban religious leaders and judges will judge Khadim and the 45 men.

Tribal leader Abdul Ahad Masoomi said:

Mullah Khadim, who claims allegiance to Daesh (Arabic acronym for IS) forcibly assembled local residents on Thursday last in the Kakaji’s Azan area and told the people that Mullah Omar [spiritual leader for the Taliban] no longer exists and they should now support him.

Khadim fell out of favor with the Taliban and switched his support to the Islamic State. He set up recruitment for the terrorist group in south Afghanistan, which is considered “the spiritual heart of the Taliban,” after the United States pulled out of the area. America did not view him as a threat, but in 2011, Newsweek reported he “commanded Mullah Omar’s elite mobile reserve force, fighting regime opponents all over Afghanistan.”

A group of former Taliban members pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in a video released on January 11.

“As you know, most of the attendees have pledged allegiance to the Caliphate before, and now we present a collective pledge of allegiance,” said former Pakistani Taliban spokesman Shahidullah Shahid.

To prove their allegiance, the men beheaded a Pakistani soldier.

“We are gathered here with commanders from 10 units,” Shahid continues. “They all want to pledge their allegiance to the caliph of all believers, [Islamic State leader] Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.”