Politics dictionary
ISIS-K
[ ahy-sis key ]
What is ISIS-K?
ISIS-K is an Afghanistan-based branch of the group known as ISIS, a radical Sunni Islamic organization widely regarded as a terrorist group.
As a branch of ISIS, ISIS-K is officially designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations and the United States.
ISIS-K is thought to be largely aligned with the aims and beliefs of the larger group, including the goal of restoring an Islamic state, or caliphate, in the region.
ISIS-K is also known as Islamic State Khorasan, Islamic State Khorasan Province, ISIS-KP, and ISKP.
Where does ISIS-K come from?
ISIS is an English language abbreviation that stands for “Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham” or “Islamic State in Iraq and Syria” (the group is also known as Islamic State, Daesh, and Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, abbreviated ISIL). The K in ISIS-K stands for Khorasan, the name for an area that historically included parts of what are now the countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran. Khorasan translates to “Land of the Sun” in Farsi (modern Persian).
ISIS-K announced its formation in 2015. It is thought to have been established by hard-line former members of the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban (a group that it opposes).
In August 2021, it was reported that ISIS-K was responsible for multiple attacks that occurred during the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, including a bombing at the Kabul airport that killed 13 US service members and more than 100 Afghan civilians. Media coverage of the attacks resulted in greater awareness of ISIS-K.
Examples of ISIS-K
Who uses ISIS-K?
Mainstream awareness of ISIS-K rose significantly after attacks during the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in August 2021.
ISIS-K, the Islamic State's affiliate in Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for that attack, the deadliest for the U.S. military since 2011. https://t.co/4nOnpTap8h
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) September 6, 2021
Biden has told the Pentagon to develop plans to strike ISIS-K assets.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) August 26, 2021
BREAKING: The US military has carried out a drone strike killing an ISIS-K planner in eastern Afghanistan.
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) August 28, 2021
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of ISIS-K like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of ISIS-K that will help our users expand their word mastery.