ISKP calls for “lone wolf” attacks in Khorasan

On 20 November 2024, Al-Azaim Media released a Pashto-language poster titled “Cut the Hands and Feet of Tawaghit! [Arabic word meaning ‘seducer/tempter”, referring to a false God, used by ISKP to refer to apostate and tyrant regimes]”, marking the Islamic State Khorasan Province’s (ISKP) first explicit call for ‘lone-wolf’ (sole perpetrator) attacks in the territory of Khorasan. The poster was initially shared on pro-ISKP Telegram channels and later disseminated by sympathisers on Facebook.

The poster’s imagery features a poison bottle, a knife, an improvised explosive device (IED), a burning vehicle, blazing harvests, a world map, and a man wielding a knife, as a background of the text.

Addressing “believers, mujahideen, munasireen [supporters], and muwahideen [monotheists] loyal to the Islamic State in Khorasan”, it refers to them collectively as “anonymous devotees”. It proposes a form of jihad that requires no direct contact with ISKP or formal allegiance and clearance to join the group. The poster stresses that the Caliphate recognises a bayat [pledge of allegiance] from sole perpetrator attackers, claiming: “You are of us, and we are of you”. This phrase, slightly adapted from the original “They are of us, and we are of them”, was first used by the Islamic State central authority in its Al-Naba weekly to encourage global sole perpetrator attacks.

Targets and tactics of ISKP “lone wolf” attacks

The statement specifically encourages lone-wolf attackers to focus on soft targets as individuals or assets that are easy and inexpensive to attack. Examples provided include burning vehicles and agricultural harvests, destroying businesses, pouring acid on trees, and poisoning livestock. These actions are framed as acts of jihad against the “enemies of Islam”, and are designed to be both anonymous and low risk for the perpetrators.

The targets outlined include public sector employees in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as ISKP has designated both the Taliban and Pakistan as apostate administrations. According to the statement, this includes professionals such as doctors, teachers and traffic police, whom ISKP labels the “hands and feet of the Tawaghit”. The statement claims their removal would destabilise and collapse the existing governance systems:

“This is the decisive battle … while it may seem ordinary to you, it is a deeply suppressive, confounding, and frightening war for the enemy. At present, the property and blood of apostates and infidels remain secure. Either destroy their property or seize it and spill their blood”.

The message concludes with a rallying cry to target both the Taliban and Pakistani establishment within Khorasan, as well as “infidels” abroad. It calls on anonymous attackers to “rise and take revenge”, emphasising that “all infidels in their own countries are ‘Kafir-e-Harbi” [infidels it is necessary for supporters to fight]. Attackers are urged to pursue such acts for divine retribution and to honour the Islamic ummah [community].

A strategic shift in ISKP propaganda

Historically, ISKP has encouraged sole perpetrator attacks against non-Muslims outside Khorasan. However, this propaganda poster by Al-Azaim signals a shift, explicitly urging Muslims within the area of Khorasan to act independently on behalf of ISKP. By conducting attacks against soft targets, it is likely that ISKP seeks to expand its operational reach and maintain relevance, without risking its operatives’ lives or identities.

It is also likely that this shift in approach is in response to counter-operations conducted against ISKP by Taliban and Pakistani authorities, which may have weakened ISKP capacity and networks. On 24 November 2024, referencing the attack on Sufi worshippers in Baghlan, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told Tolo News that ISKP is in a significantly weakened position, which has driven them to resort to targeting civilians.

Although this call to action may not immediately lead to a significant escalation in violence, a shift in ISKP focus towards soft targets is consistent with its broader strategy. The group has a history of employing such tactics as targeting civilians, as evidenced by its repeated attacks on Shia communities.

Remarks

ISKP’s latest propaganda reflects an evolving strategy to leverage sole perpetrator attackers in Khorasan. By emphasising anonymity, low-cost tactics and a broader target selection, the group seeks to sustain its campaign of terror despite operational setbacks. While the immediate impact of this call remains uncertain, this approach aligns with ISKP’s ongoing reliance on soft target strategies to destabilise its perceived adversaries, including by undermining perceptions of the Taliban’s capacity to provide security in Afghanistan.