The Afghan Taliban has struggled with infighting and fractured alliances as ISIS has increased its reach into Afghanistan, Taliban commanders and Afghan intelligence officers told NBC News. The Taliban — which has been fighting an insurgency since it was toppled by the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 — has fragmented into three groups, each with different objectives. Some are still loyal to the original Taliban and its leaders; others are fighting under the banner of ISIS; a third group wants to join the peace process with the Afghan government. "The cracks in the ranks of Taliban began late last year with the emergence of [ISIS] in the region," a senior Afghan intelligence official told NBC News on condition of anonymity.
