Underscoring the group’s growing presence around Afghanistan, ISIS has launched a mass kidnapping and execution in Afghanistan’s Ghor Province today, rounding up and shooting dozens of civilians who were gathering firewood in the hills.
The victims were nomads from the Kuchi group, and while it was initially thought the attack might’ve been part of an ethnic conflict in the area over sheep ownership, it has since been attributed to ISIS, who officials say has a growing presence in the area and a bone to pick with the Kuchi.
That the victims were nomads is making it hard to nail down exactly how many people were killed, with official reports saying it was at least 30, and locals saying as many as 42 were missing and presumed to have been killed in the attack.
Ghor is far afield from the areas ISIS has been previously reported to have a major presence in Afghanistan. Early on they were claimed to be confined to the Nangarhar Province, but have also set up some territorial possessions in the far south.