The Taliban posted a message on its official website after IS released the video online. It appears to show an execution conducted in on territory IS captured from the Taliban the same month.
“A horrific video was released yesterday showing kidnappers who associate themselves with Daesh (ISIL) brutally martyring several white-bearded tribal elders and villagers with explosives,” the message reads, as cited by Reuters.
The Taliban sees the inroads made by IS-associated groups as rivals for support in the country by preaching a more extreme brand of militancy.
“This offence and other such brutal actions by a few irresponsible ignorant individuals under the guise of Islam and Muslims are intolerable,” the Taliban message reads.
The bound prisoners in the video are alleged Taliban supporters. The video concluded with an appeal to local residents urging them to stop resisting IS.
#Afghanistan: #ISIS members distributing pamphlets among the locals in eastern #Nangarhar province to fight #Talib… pic.twitter.com/q2zlHInVpa
— Anonymous (@CovertAnonymous) June 22, 2015
The Islamic State has recently gained local sympathies by employing cash as a primary incentive to steal foot soldiers away from the Taliban movement in certain areas of Afghanistan, US Forces-Afghanistan Commander General John Campbell said earlier this month.
“Unlike the Taliban, they (ISIL) don't force villagers to feed and house them. Instead, they have lots of cash in their pockets and spend it on food and luring young villagers to join them,” Haji Abdul Jan, a tribal elder from Achin district, corroborated.
On July 7, peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government began in Pakistan. The second round of negotiations, scheduled for July 31, was suspended following Omar’s death.
