The rebel group, known as the Islamic State (IS), claimed bombings in Afghanistan today and bombings in Nigeria on Wednesday. The Islamic State asserted both power and pride in what they say is its quest to avenge the deaths of its former leader and spokesman. As the IS becomes bold in their attacks, one may question it as a sign of regaining strength in both numbers and weapons.
The bombing that killed or injured 30 people on Tuesday in Nigeria seems to have occurred where the extremist group had never bombed. Before the bombing took place, IS had kept to Northeast Nigeria, with both the states of Borno and Yobe under its thumb. However, now that the attack happened in the eastern end of Nigeria’s Middle Belt central region, many fear an even more dire attack. The bombing occurred in a marketplace selling alcohol in Taraba State, Nigeria.
A day following the bombings in Nigeria, the Islamic State put out a statement via a telegram messaging channel used by Islamic State to distribute its propaganda. IS called the attack victims “soldiers of the caliphate in central Nigeria.” They went on to say they had hit “a gathering of infidel Christians.”
Residents from Geidam and security sources claim the Islamic State furthered its assault on the country. Thursday morning, after their horrific statement, fighters came to the village of Geidam in Yobe State in the early hours and burnt down a school and several private buildings.
Alongside their Thursday assault on Nigeria, the Islamic State bombed a Shia mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif. Soon following the first bomb came three others in various locations in Afghanistan. IS claimed the initial attack and denied any ties to the bombs that followed. The initial blast killed at least 31 people and injured approximately 87. The IS jihadists said the attack got carried out using a remotely detonated booby-trapped bag when the building was packed with worshippers. The remaining unclaimed attacks killed at least eight people, four being Taliban, and injured 21 people, two being children.
The initial reemergence of the infamous Islamic State started in January when the group had two trucks break into Ghweiran prison to free fellow jihadists and load up on weapons for themselves. The prison invasion lasted an entire week until forces could quiet down the chaos of more than one hundred Islamic State extremists. With mounting tensions between the Taliban and IS-K seeming to pick up speed, it’s easy to believe that the target of the attacks is law enforcement. However, recent school bombings lead one to question if the target is ever-changing.
Since the Taliban takeover in August, there has been an obvious objection to their headquarters being located in eastern Afghanistan. The new assaults getting put into action spread awareness to all, as Jihadists have said to be an ongoing global campaign. With radicals in nearly every country seeming to hide under some magic cloak of invisibility, all one can honestly do is pray.
