The Chief of the General Staff of the Afghan Army, formed by the radical Taliban movement (banned in Russia, recognized as a terrorist organization), Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, has declared that the terrorist group "Islamic State" (IS, banned in Russia) has been completely eradicated from Afghanistan.
"The IS has been completely destroyed in Afghanistan and is no longer present in the country," Fitrat was quoted as saying by Tolo News TV. He further emphasized that Afghanistan's territory is now secure and poses no threat to its neighboring countries.
However, Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder stated on August 27 that several terrorist groups remain active in Afghanistan. He also highlighted that the US continues to monitor threats from the Islamic State in Khorasan, a branch of IS operating in Afghanistan.
Despite these claims, Afghanistan has seen repeated bombings, armed attacks, and shootings targeting both Taliban supporters and civilians. The "Islamic State in Khorasan" has claimed responsibility for many of these incidents. In an interview with TASS on July 20, Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov noted that while the security situation in the country is evolving, the Taliban are taking significant measures to clamp down on IS activities.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Master Sgt. Christopher DeWitt/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on materials from TASS