Daesh does not pose threat to Afghanistan: Mujahid

KABUL: The Taliban caretaker government can restrain Daesh in Afghanistan and the group is not capable of posing a threat to the country, said Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Zabihullah Mujahid.

Speaking to TOLOnews, Mujahid said two groups have been arrested in relation to the latest incidents in Nangarhar province. “Daesh is not a threat, because the thought of Daesh is a hated thought among the people. No one supports them. Second, our combat against Daesh was effective in the past and we know how to neutralize their techniques,” Mujahid said. Daesh claimed responsibility for several attacks in Kabul and Nangarhar province over the last month. Videos in which Daesh claimed responsibility for the attacks were posted by Amaq News Agency, an outlet with links to Daesh.

Considering the last attacks in Nangarhar and Kabul, some political analysts said that the group seems to be present in Afghanistan. Ibrahim Baes, a political analyst, told TOLOnews: “They wanted to show they are actively present in Afghanistan. They have decided to fight against the current government in Afghanistan.” The US, NATO and others in the international community continually cite concerns over Al Qaeda and Daesh activity in Afghanistan, but the Taliban has pledged to not allow for any insurgent group to operate from Afghanistan and threaten other countries.

Nangarhar province witnessed an explosion on Sunday evening in which a child was killed and two people, including a Taliban forces member, were injured in the province. In Kabul on Saturday there was a blast that wounded two people, and two other explosions on Saturday targeted a Taliban vehicle in Nangarhar, in which around 20 people were wounded. Daesh claimed responsibilities for these attacks.