Publication

This commentary discusses the consequences of an Islamic State (IS) chapter taking control of nine districts in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province in July 2015. More specifically, the author examines how 1) this IS chapter could exploit the area's strategic location on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and draw funding from the narcotics production there; and 2) the IS in Afghanistan will gain ground beyond Nanarhar through increased support from defectors and further attacks within the country and in Pakistan, further straining Af-Pak relations.