{"id":40505,"date":"2019-12-04T14:06:32","date_gmt":"2019-12-04T14:06:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/12\/04\/isis-is-taking-a-beating-in-afghanistan-setting-the-stage-for-us-troop-withdrawal\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:18:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:18:41","slug":"isis-is-taking-a-beating-in-afghanistan-setting-the-stage-for-us-troop-withdrawal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2019\/12\/04\/isis-is-taking-a-beating-in-afghanistan-setting-the-stage-for-us-troop-withdrawal\/","title":{"rendered":"ISIS is taking a beating in Afghanistan setting the stage for potential US troop withdrawal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sustained U.S. and Afghan operations combating the Afghanistan branch of the Islamic State has led to a near-collapse of the jihadist group in eastern Afghanistan \u2014 helping clear a hurdle for an American withdrawal from the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President Donald Trump touted success of recent operations against the Islamic extremist group during <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/12\/01\/trump-thanks-troops-in-afghanistan-says-taliban-want-a-deal\/\" target=_blank>a Thanksgiving Day surprise visit<\/a> to American troops at Bagram Airfield detailing that U.S. forces were \u201cwiping\u201d out ISIS militants \u201cleft and right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s almost nothing left in this area. And al-Qaida, the same thing. And tremendous progress,\u201d Trump told U.S. troops during the visit. \u201cAnd we \u2014 we\u2019ve got them down to very low numbers. We\u2019ll have that totally taken care of in a very short period of time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2019\/12\/02\/world\/asia\/ISIS-afghanistan-baghdadi.html\" target=_blank>New York Times<\/a>, citing a Western official, reported that the number of ISIS militants had dwindled down to roughly 300 from previous estimates that claimed the group was fielding several thousand fighters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.securitycouncilreport.org\/atf\/cf\/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D\/s_2019_481.pdf\" target=_blank>UN report <\/a>said ISIS terrorists in Afghanistan numbered between 2,500 and 4,000 fighters. A 2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/media.defense.gov\/2019\/Jul\/12\/2002156816\/-1\/-1\/1\/ENHANCING-SECURITY-AND-STABILITY-IN-AFGHANISTAN.PDF\" target=_blank>DoD report<\/a> on Afghanistan estimates the size of the terrorist group to be less than 2,000 fighters.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/flashpoints\/2019\/10\/04\/isis-in-afghanistan-is-still-able-to-field-thousands-of-fighters-despite-hellacious-fight-to-destroy-it\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4175598.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">ISIS in Afghanistan is still able to field thousands of fighters despite hellacious fight to destroy it<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">A special operations task force was awarded 34 valor awards to include five Silver Stars and nine Bronze Stars during a six month deployment combating Taliban, Afghan ISIS militants, Haqqani network and Al-Qaida fighters.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2019\/10\/29\/us-afghanistan-peace-envoy-takes-efforts-to-pakistan\/\" target=_blank>Zalmay Khalilzad<\/a>, Trump\u2019s envoy leading peace negotiations with the Taliban, credited U.S. and Afghan operations against ISIS, but also Taliban efforts to defeat the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe recent campaign in Nangarhar is one example. Effective operations by US\/Coalition &amp; Afghan security forces, as well as the Taliban, led to ISIS-K losing territory &amp; fighters. Hundreds surrendered. ISIS-K hasn\u2019t been eliminated but this is real progress,\u201d Khalilzad tweeted Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, who met Trump at Bagram and spoke to U.S. and Afghan troops during Thanksgiving, said that Afghan and American troops had \u201cinflicted an incredible defeat on ISIS in Nangarhar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">National security experts and critics of a U.S. draw down if Afghanistan oft warn of the plethora of terror groups operating in Afghanistan as a reason to maintain as U.S. presence in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fears of an ISIS resurgence in Afghanistan has become a major hurdle for U.S. troops seeking to withdraw from the region after nearly 18 years of war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re doing a tremendous job. And, as you know, a big part of that job is ISIS \u2014 certainly the biggest \u2014 and al Qaida,\u201d Trump told U.S. troops at Bagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A recent Defense Department <a href=\"https:\/\/media.defense.gov\/2019\/Nov\/20\/2002214020\/-1\/-1\/1\/Q4FY2019_LEADIG_OFS_REPORT.PDF\" target=_blank>inspector general<\/a> report noted that despite U.S. efforts to seek a negotiated settlement with the Taliban, terrorists groups in the country will still remain a threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DoD said that the U.S. will need to maintain a \u201crobust\u201d counterterrorism capacity for the \u201cforeseeable future,\u201d in Afghanistan, according to the IG report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Analysts and military officials routinely cite that Afghanistan is a hotbed for nearly 20 terrorist groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A former U.S. defense official told Military Times that the size of any counterterroism footprint that remains in Afghanistan will depend on what groups the U.S. and Afghan government consider a threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4150726.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-31388\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4150726.jpg.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4150726.jpg.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4150726.jpg.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4150726.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/4150726.jpg.jpg?resize=1536,864 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Coalition conducted a series of airstrikes to support Afghan Commandos clearance of ISIS-K fighters and fighting positions in Pekha Valley, Achin district, Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, Feb. 17, 2018. Persistent offensive ground and air operations throughout the winter expelled ISIS-K from more than seven kilometers of mountainous terrain in southeastern Nangarhar. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jacob Krone)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIts almost certainly going to include the Islamic State, but I don\u2019t know of the Haqqanis will fall into the category. Probably not, if there\u2019s a real peace,\u201d the former defense official said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Haqqani network is an affiliate of the Taliban and was designated a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department in 2012.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf there\u2019s a limited target list, eg only IS, then the presence might be small and geographically dedicated in the east of the country,\u201d the former defense official explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump told U.S. troops at Bagram that negotiations that peace negotiations with the Taliban were back on. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2019\/09\/09\/us-troop-reduction-in-afghanistan-unclear-as-trump-says-peace-talks-with-taliban-are-now-dead\/\" target=_blank>Trump canceled the negotiations<\/a> in September after a deadly bombing by the Taliban claimed the life of a U.S. service member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Taliban wants to make a deal. We\u2019ll see if they want to make a deal. It\u2019s got to be a real deal, but we\u2019ll see,\u201d Trump said. \u201cAnd they only want to make a deal because you\u2019re doing a great job. That\u2019s the only reason they want to make a deal.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. is amid one of its most intensive bombing campaigns targeting Taliban militants. There are currently 13,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-usa-afghanistan-exclusive\/exclusive-us-troop-drawdowns-in-afghanistan-not-necessarily-tied-to-taliban-deal-esper-idUSKBN1Y62FG\" target=_blank>Reuter<\/a>\u2019s story, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said that a U.S. draw down of forces in Afghanistan was \u201cnot necessarily\u201d linked to a peace deal with the Taliban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The recent campaign in Nangarhar is one example. Effective operations by US\/Coalition &amp; Afghan security forces, as well as the Taliban, led to ISIS-K losing territory &amp; fighters. Hundreds surrendered. ISIS-K hasn\u2019t been eliminated but this is real progress.<\/p>&mdash; US4AfghanPeace (@US4AfghanPeace) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/US4AfghanPeace\/status\/1201956898616025093?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 3, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ISIS is down to a few hundred fighters in Afghanistan following sustained operations by U.S. and Afghan forces and even Taliban fighters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":45309,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":10,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[10,29,116,117,15,86],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3472],"class_list":["post-40505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-flashpoints","category-home","category-left-column","category-middle-column","category-news","category-pentagon-congress"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"QURK5OE2ANHBBIWO5NUGF2AE6U","arc_canonical_url":"\/flashpoints\/2019\/12\/04\/isis-is-taking-a-beating-in-afghanistan-setting-the-stage-for-us-troop-withdrawal\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented 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