22 ISIS militants killed in special forces raid: NDS

Monitoring Desk

JALALABAD: At least twenty two militants affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group were killed during a raid of the Afghan Special Forces in eastern Nangarhar province.

The Afghan Intelligence, National Directorate of Security (NDS), in a statement said the raid was conducted by the Special Forces of the agency in Khugyani district.

The statement further added that two weapons depots of the terror group were also destroyed during the same operation.

The military sources had earlier reported that twenty Taliban militants were killed and two others were detained during the operation.

The anti-government armed militants including Taliban have not commented regarding the operation so far.

Nangarhar has been among the relatively provinces in East of Afghanistan but the security situation in some of its remote districts has started to deteriorated during the recent years.

Both Taliban and ISIS militants are active in some of the restive districts of the province and often attempt to carry out terrorist related activities against the government and security institutions.

ISIS terrorists heading to Afghanistan from Syria and Iraq to plot attacks: The ISIS terrorists are heading to Afghanistan from Iraq and Syria after the collapse of the self-proclaimed caliphate in the Middle East, it has been reported.

A U.S. official has told AFP that ISIS terrorists are heading to Afghanistan to continue their jihad and plot ‘spectacular’ attacks against the United States.

A senior U.S. intelligence official in Kabul has told AFP “We know some have already made their way back here and are trying to transfer the knowledge, skills and experience they learned over there.”

The official speaking on the condition of anonymity has further added that “If we don’t continue counterterrorism pressure against (IS in Afghanistan), there will be an attack in our homeland — and a spectacular attack — probably within the year.”

This comes as both Afghan and U.S. forces are busy conduct regular operations and airstrikes against the terror group in Nangarhar, Kunar, and other restive provinces in which the group has a presence.

The latest UN report suggest that the terror group has between 2,500 and 4,000 fighters in Afghanistan, according to AFP.

The group claimed responsibility for a coordinated attack on Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology in Kabul city which left at least ten people dead and several others wounded.(Khaama Press)