The Taliban’s letter added that ”The Islamic Emirate [of Afghanistan] does not consider the multiplicity of jihadi ranks beneficial either for jihad or for Muslims.” It continued: “Your decisions made from a distance will result in [the Islamic State] losing support of religious scholars, mujahideen… and in order to defend its achievements the Islamic Emirate will be forced to react.” The letter was signed by the Taliban’s deputy leader Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansoor. The letter was published on the Taliban’s website in several languages, including Arabic, Pashto, Urdu, and Dari. The group did not outline the consequences of the Islamic States’ continuing bid to increase its influence in Afghanistan.

Earlier this year, the Islamic State announced the creation of the Khorasan Shura—Khorasan refers to the historic region which comprises roughly eastern Iran, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and the land west of the Sindhu river in Pakistan. The Shura comprised several former senior members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Shortly afterwards, fighters claiming to fight for ISIS killed a Taliban commander in Logar province, marking the start of a nebulous turf war within the country. In April, ISIS claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Jalalabad that killed 35—its first serious attack against civilians in Afghanistan.