The Taliban have been waging an insurgency since they were driven from power by U.S. and Afghan forces after the Sept. 11 attacks. In recent years they have seized districts across the country and carried out near-daily attacks, mainly targeting security forces and the U.S.-backed government. The more radical IS views Afghanistan as a province in a worldwide Islamic caliphate headquartered in Syria and Iraq. "Security measures are often lax in Afghan cities, Afghan intelligence gathering capacities are poor, and the terrorists are clever." His speech gave Afghan forces a temporary morale boost, but little has changed on the ground.

Source: ABC News January 28, 2018 09:08 UTC