Recently, there have been alarming reports from the northern part of the country regarding an unprecedented rise in religious extremism. The number of people joining the Taliban, Daesh, Al-Qaeda, Ansarullah, and other terrorist groups from the native populations of these areas has been significantly increasing in recent years. This rise in extremism in this part of Afghanistan has caused double concerns; on the one hand, it increases the likelihood of conflicts and civil wars among the inhabitants of these areas, and there is likely to be bloody wars on the horizon, and on the other hand, it will lead to the transfer of violence to the other side of the borders and the insecurity of Central Asia, thus making Afghanistan a proxy battlefield.
The spread of extremism in Southern Afghanistan was discussed in the past, with many factors being referred to, such as its proximity to Pakistan, the lack of modern education, the tribal context of some areas being dominated by traditional forces, and the lack of books and modern intellectual productions in Pashto. This case was somewhat different in the case of Northern Afghanistan, as it was thought or expected that the existence of sufficient intellectual materials in the Persian language in the fields of philosophy, literature, sociology, psychology, history, theology, and politics, in addition to the distance from Pakistan and the difference in the social context, could be a serious obstacle to the ideas of extremism. However, what was seen in practice was the opposite, and as time passed, the number of extremist and terrorist elements in this region increased.
In the past, during the Republic era, some circles of the former government were accused of deliberately fostering the growth of extremism in certain areas. Distinguishing fact from fiction in the rumor mill of Afghanistan was a difficult task, especially considering the presence of powerful figures from the north of the country in various positions of the previous regime, ranging from the Vice President to the Head of Parliament, to the Ministries of Defense, the Directorate of Intelligence, and the like. It seemed unlikely that any organized effort was made in this regard, and none of these figures and the departments under their command were informed. Therefore, bringing up this issue could be a way for the officials to absolve themselves of responsibility for what is happening in the north.
The spread of extremism has multiple, complex causes. One of the most serious is the disconnect between political forces and classical jihadi parties and the wider society. Furthermore, the class gap and chaotic economic conditions for some parts of the population have created a deprivation complex, which has provided an opportunity for extremist groups. This creeping growth of extremism in the region has been occurring for several decades, and has been perpetuated through the schooling and networking of fundamentalist forces. Additionally, the lack of alternative discourses that can challenge the extremist discourse has only exacerbated the situation, leading to the north of the country becoming a breeding ground for terrorist groups. As time passes, this area is sinking further into this swamp. However, it is not impossible to resist this situation; every intellectual and cultural effort, along with other activities, can change the equation, provided there is a will to fight.
