IS no longer a threat in Afghanistan: Govt

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Afghan caretaker government has denied claims made by the commander of US Central Command about the presence of Daesh or Islamic State (IS) militants in Afghanistan.

The Afghan government has assured the world, neighboring countries and people that ISIS was no longer a concern in Afghanistan.

The commander of the US Central Command, Gen. Kenneth Mackenzie, said on Friday that there were still thousands of IS fighters in Afghanistan.

He claimed that the release of IS fighters strengthened after the break-up of Bagram and Pul-i-Charkhi prisons in Afghanistan and the establishment of new government in the country.

He had said that there were still thousands of Daesh militants present in Afghanistan, who were trying to attack the US.

Mackenzie claimed that with the arrival of spring, Daesh militants may intensify their attacks in Afghanistan. “The Taliban are trying to limit IS operations,” he said.

However, the Afghan government denied the claims.

Afghanistan’s intelligence agency issued a statement on its Twitter account calling Mackenzie’s assertion as propaganda.

“We strongly reject the remarks of the commander of US CENTCOM regarding the growth of devil IS group in Afghanistan and the expansion of its military presence and we call these statements a campaign for the devils,” the source said.

The Afghan government assures that Daesh is not an issue of concern in Afghanistan, the source added.

“The Kharijites are an intelligence project of invaders, which was completely destroyed with the end of the occupation, and for now, these devils no longer exist in any part of the country,” the spy agency said.

The sources added that the caretaker government of Afghanistan assures its people, neighbors and the world that “Kharijites” is no longer a matter of concern in Afghanistan.

mds/ma

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