JALALABAD – More than 70 small Daesh or Islamic State (IS) groups havebeen operating in eastern Nangarhar province bordering Pakistan and theyinclude foreign militants, the governor said on Tuesday, Pajhwok News hasreported .
Hayatullah Hayat told a press conference here that it was not known howmany foreign and how many local rebels were in the ranks of these 71 smallIS groups.
The group has claimed responsibility for a latest bloody attack inJalalabad, the provincial capital, targeting the minority Sikh-Hinducommunity.
The Nangarhar governor said clearing and overnight operations were beingconducted to suppress the terrorist outfit.
Under new plans, security forces were trying to take control of strategicareas and establish check-posts there to crack-down on the rebels, Hayatsaid.
Meanwhile, Nangarhar police chief Brig. Gen. Ghulam Sanee Stanikzai duringan exclusive chat with Pajhwok said the strength of Daesh was not above1,000, but the group’s recruiting process was ongoing.
“Militants from foreign countries also join Daesh, we eliminate them, butmore come to swell their ranks.”
However, Israrullah Murad, a member of the provincial council, said thenumber of IS was declared as 1,000 when it first emerged in Nangarhar, andstill their number was told as 1000 despite daily reports of their killingsin operations.