Daesh has been “suppressed in Afghanistan and is not any more potent than it was a year ago,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, a senior interim government spokesman.
The Taliban refuted the claims made by a senior United States general that the Islamic State of Khorasan would be able to target American interests in Europe and Asia within six months.
The statements of US officials about the number of ISIS in Afghanistan are not true. In a tweet, Mujahid said Daesh militants have already been reduced in ranks and suppressed.
He accused the US of supporting Daesh in Afghanistan. He said, “The interest of the US officials in this matter and their grandiosity is aiding and abetting the ISIS insurgents, which should be stopped.”
Last week, General Michael Kurilla, commander of US Central Command, told congress that “ISIS is stronger today in Afghanistan.”
In addition, General Kurilla said “at least hundreds of thousands” of US people could be at risk from an attack by ISIS, which has the “ultimate goal of striking on the US homeland.”
“ISIS-Khorasan grows emboldened, seeking to expand its ranks and inspire, enable and direct attacks in the region and beyond – with the ultimate goal of striking on the American homeland,” he added.
The CENTCOM commander estimates that about 6,500 Daesh fighters are in Afghanistan, with 4,000 of them positioned near the Tajikistan border.
Earlier this month, the attacks in Balkh were attributed to the Islamic State-Khorasan. In the first attack, the governor of Balkh and two others were killed. The second targeted the journalists’ gathering at Tebyan Cultural Center, killing a dozen journalists and injuring others.
