NATO: ISIS Recruiting Heavily in Afghanistan, Pakistan

Taliban Splinter Groups 'Rebranding' as ISIS to Get Funding

NATO commander Gen. John Campbell today reported that ISIS is making some inroads recruiting in both Afghanistan and Pakistan with “money being passed back and forth.”

Though Campbell said that NATO doesn’t believe the force is operational in either country yet, his is the latest indication that ISIS is trying to set up shop in yet another theater of operations.

Gen. Campbell says that most of the self-styled ISIS factions operating so far are really just splinter factions from the Taliban that are rebranding to try to appear as a more credible faction on their own.

“They see this is an opportunity to gain resources and attention,” the general added. While this seems to downplay the significance of ISIS presence in the region so far, it can’t be forgotten that some of ISIS’ most significant presences outside of Iraq and Syria were established in much the same way, with groups rebranding and then getting an influx of aid and advice until they were more formidable threats to their rivals.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.