US forces have been authorized to fight members of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Afghanistan as a threat to the United States. This decision comes after the US State Dept. designated ISIS-K (ISIS-Khorasan), in Afghanistan and Pakistan as a terrorist organization. Previously the US army would have engaged with ISIS militarily only if the group posed a threat to the US, according to CNN, but they can now pursue the militants as part of their counterterrorism mission in the region. “ISIS-K already is believed to be responsible for suicide and small-arms attacks and kidnappings, targeting civilians and Afghan government officials,” CNN reported. The designation of the group as a terrorist organization means the US also prohibits any cooperation with or supply of material or resources to the group. ISIS-K was formed January last year by a group of militants who defected from the Tehrik-e Taliban and they pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. CNN quoted Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, as saying that the White House should have changed the rules of engagement earlier. "It shouldn't have taken a year for the White House to identify ISIS as a threat in Afghanistan and authorize our forces to engage them," Thornberry said. "In fact, the committee understands that our military made two requests last year to combat this emerging ISIS threat, the first dating back to February 2015. Once again, the President's inaction and denial of the ISIS threat has only resulted in its growth and put our troops and our Afghan partners at greater risk." The Taliban has also declared war with ISIS and exchanged fire on different occasions across Afghanistan in the last few months.
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