The Islamic State and the Taliban: Allies or competing jihadist groups?
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Dr. John Esposito, Professor of International Affairs and Islamic Studies at Georgetown University, joins France 24 to offer a deeper understanding of the Islamic State, ISIS-K, and the Taliban. "Basically ISIS-K is an extension of the Islamic State, (a self-described caliphate), that has actually continued to spread (from the Middle East) over to Africa and all the way over to south and southeast Asia." Dr. Esposito explains that the Islamic State "are not welcomed by the Taliban" as they actually "look down on the Taliban for not engaging and accepting their kind of expansionism and their use of violence." So, in stark contrast to ISIS, "the Taliban are primarily concerned about creating an Islamic state, as it were, an emirate, within Afghanistan. They're not interested in expanding outside of Afghanistan." And what really differentiates the Taliban from the Islamic State is the Taliban's desire to "project internationally and connect with the international community. And so the question is how much they would accommodate the concerns of the international community."