General information
Type of Incompatibility: Not applicable
Date of first battle related death: 2015-02-02
Date of conflict reached 25 battle releated deaths: 2015-05-15
Comment on conflict reached 25 battle releated deaths: The non-state conflict between IS and Taleban is first included in UCDP data in 2015. In May that year clashes took place in Nangarhar in the east of Afghanistan, resulting in the dyad crossing the threshold of 25 battle-related deaths.
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
2015
Primary Parties: IS - Taleban
Dimension: Non-State
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 450 |
| Best | 292 |
| Low | 285 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2016
Primary Parties: IS - Taleban
Dimension: Non-State
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 501 |
| Best | 481 |
| Low | 467 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2017
Primary Parties: IS - Taleban
Dimension: Non-State
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 396 |
| Best | 343 |
| Low | 318 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2018
Primary Parties: IS - Taleban
Dimension: Non-State
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 689 |
| Best | 577 |
| Low | 300 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2019
Primary Parties: IS - Taleban
Dimension: Non-State
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 53 |
| Best | 51 |
| Low | 51 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2020
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Non-State
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2021
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Non-State
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 8 |
| Best | 8 |
| Low | 1 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
2024
Primary Parties: -
Dimension: Non-State
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 1 |
| Best | 1 |
| Low | 1 |
Numbers include fatalities for all dyads both active and inactive for this year
Conflict Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
2015 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: On 10 January 2015, some former Taleban commanders pledged allegiance to IS and on 26 January, the Khorasan Province of the Islamic State was announced. Almost immediately, tensions started to grow between the Taleban and IS.
The main difference between the Taleban and the IS was their view on Taleban leader Mullah Omar versus IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Whereas the Taleban considered Omar superior to Baghdadi's position as Caliph, Baghdadi has demanded all Muslims to pledge allegiance to him. In January 2015, Baghdadi reportedly called Mullah Omar "a fool and illiterate warlord" and that he did not deserve a spiritual or political credibility. After a period of clashes between the two groups in Nangarhar province in the east, Taleban deputy leader (and later elected new leader) Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour issued a statement claiming that the Taleban was the legitimate representative of jihadists in Afghanistan, and that all operations should be under its command. In his statement directed at IS leader Baghdadi, Mansour said "in order to prevent the scourge of disunity in Afghanistan, the Islamic Emirate considers allowing jihadist activity here only from the ranks of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan as logical from religious and jihadist point of view. It [the Taliban] considers creating another group against it contrary to the interests of jihad, mujahideen and Islam". IS responded a week later, ordering fighters in Khorasan to "have no mercy or compassion" for those who didn't "repent" and "join the Caliphate".
Fighting between the Taleban and IS has been concentrated to Nangarhar province, where the Khorasan Province of IS managed to establish control in several districts, at the expense of the Taleban. Clashes have also occurred in Farah, Zabul and Hilmand, but the Taleban has been able to defeat the IS there. In May 2015, heavy fighting between the conflict parties took place in Nangarhar, resulting in several Taleban shadow governors being executed. In October, the Taleban reportedly set up a special task force to crush the Khorasan Province of the IS, made up of 1000 specially trained and equipped Taleban fighters.
Terminated: NO
2016 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: On 10 January 2015, some former Taleban commanders pledged allegiance to IS and on 26 January, the Khorasan Province of the Islamic State was announced. Almost immediately, tensions started to grow between the Taleban and IS.
In 2016, fighting continued between the groups, mainly in Nangarhar province where IS-Khorasan has been based since their emergence in Afghanistan. The Taleban launched an offensive in the province in early 2016, aiming to expel IS forces from the area. Fighting between the parties subsided during the second half of the year and IS remained strong in the area.
Terminated: NO
2017 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: In 2017, fighting continued between the groups, mainly in Nangarhar province where IS-Khorasan has been based since their emergence in Afghanistan, but also in Jawzjan province in the northern parts of Afghanistan. IS gained territory in Jawzjan in 2017 after several Taleban commanders switched sides and joined IS together with their men.
Terminated: NO
2018 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: In 2018, fighting escalated between the groups, mainly in Jawzjan province in the northern parts of Afghanistan, in which IS had gained territory in 2017. Fighting was also continuing in Nangarhar province where IS-Khorasan has been based since their emergence in Afghanistan.
Terminated: NO
2019 Conflict Archive
Comment on Activity: Sporadic clashes between the Taleban and IS continued in 2019, mainly in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces.
Terminated: NO
2020 Conflict Archive
Terminated: NO
2021 Conflict Archive
Terminated: NO
2024 Conflict Archive
Terminated: NO
