The Islamic State in Khorasan between Taliban counter-terrorism and resurgence prospects

The Taliban, who are in control of the Afghan state, claim that they have brought the Islamic State’s insurgency in the country under control and have almost defeated it. External observers, by contrast, often see the Islamic State in Khorasan (IS-K) as being on the ascendence. This Analysis aims to provide a balanced assessment of the state of IS-K in the face of the Taliban’s efforts to crush it, but also other challenges it has been facing. The focus of this piece is to examine IS-K’s efforts to adapt to unfavourable developments and how it managed to preserve its core structure despite losses and setbacks.