IS in Afg and Pak

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Pro-ISIS militants attack a shrine and homes in Logar province
By KHAAMA PRESS - Mon Feb 23 2015, 2:53 pm
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ISISA group of militants who are apparantly supporting the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group have attacked a historic shrine and residential houses in Logar province.
The incident has reportedly taken place in Charkh district of Logar province with the local tribal elders saying that a resident of Charkh was also publicly assassinated by the group.
The provincial council chief Hasibullah Stanikzai confirmed that a pro-ISIS militant group has recently launched operations in parts of Charkh district where they carry black flags and are giving speeches in favor of ISIS group.
Stanikzai called on the government to take immediate actions in tackling the activities of the group in Logar province.
District administrative chief for Charkh Khalil Kamal confirmed that the government’s control in remote districts of Logar province is relatively weak.
He said such groups are normally operating during the night time and are even involved in looting the house of the people and their belongins.
In the meantime, provincial police chief Gen. Abdul Hakim Ishaqzai said the Afghan security forces will soon launch an operation to tackle the activities of such groups.
Logar is among the relatively volatile provinces in central Afghanistan which is located around 60km in south of Kabul province.

http://www.khaama.com/pro-isis-militants-attack-a-shrine-and-homes-in-logar-province-8325

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Abdullah Discusses Daesh, Security Strategy With Council of Ministers
Monday, 23 February 2015 19:30
Last Updated on Monday, 23 February 2015 21:16
Written by Syed Tariq Majidi


While meeting with the Council of Ministers on Monday, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah was reported to have expressed particular concern about the growing presence of militants claiming allegiance to Daesh in Afghanistan and what the government's response to the emerging threat would be.

News of Daesh-affialiated groups popping up around the country has caused many commentators to warn of an evolving face of insurgency in Afghanistan just as the U.S. and NATO coalition withdraw from the country and leave the Afghan security forces to fend for themselves. However, Abdullah said on Monday that it was clear from talks with U.S Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, who visited Afghanistan last week, that Washington is open to adjusting its plans for withdraw and military cooperation with Afghanistan.

During the Ministers' Council meeting on Monday, Abdullah made security issues the main agenda item of the meeting. He heard reports from both Ministers and Acing Ministers.

"Sometimes this group exaggerated, and sometimes it's ignored," Abdullah said of Daesh, which now occupies large swaths of Iraq and Syria and has made headway in other countries such as Libya as it pushes its global recruitment strategy. "I want the respected minsters and people to be aware of the issues and realities that we are in," Abdullah added.

Just in the past few months there have been reports of Daesh-affialiate sightings in Ghazni, Helmand, Farah, Zabul, Faryab, Parwan and Logar provinces. At the end of last week, a holy shrine in Logar was burned to the ground by a group of militants claiming allegiance to Daesh.

Muhammad Asef Sediqi, the Second Deputy of the Afghan Senate, has said that ignoring the activities of Daesh or even anyone claiming allegiance to it would be extremely dangerous. According to Sediqi, hardline Taliban fighters and foreign militants flock to Daesh, but also disaffected youth are prone to recruitment by the group, which has become a type of trending brand among bloodlust extremists.

"During the conversation that I had with the security officials today, they said that kids wear black in Muhammad Agha district of Logar and say that they are Daesh," Sediqi told TOLOnews Monday. "The burning of the shrine in this province was by people who wanted to show that they want to implement the Daesh method of war from Iraq and Syria in Afghanistan."

For the past two years, concerns about the premature departure of foreign troops have dominated discourse around the security situation in Afghanistan. However, with peace talks with senior Taliban leadership on the horizon, and the new global threat posed by Daesh, the state of affairs is evolving so rapidly it would seem impossible for the old strategies and plans to remain unchanged.

Abdullah, at least, has expressed confidence that the U.S. and its allies will not abandon Afghanistan in its time of need. "During this trip to Kabul, and meeting with us, U.S. Secretary of Defense expressed flexibility in security and defense cooperation with Afghanistan, which is good news," Abdullah said.

Meanwhile, reports from Washington have emerged suggesting that U.S. President Barack Obama might be open to changing the timeline for the troop withdraw. As of now, just 10,000 U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan, and that number is expected to be cut in half by the end of the year. By 2016, all U.S. troops are expected to be out of Afghanistan.

Regardless, though, national unity government leaders have focused much of their time and energy in the first few months of office on cultivating ties with regional countries that they believe will be able to pick up some of the slack as the U.S. scales down in its involvement in Afghanistan. China has already emerged as a major asset in efforts to get the Taliban to the negotiating table, and Abdullah on Monday said upcoming trips were planned to Iran, India and the United States.

http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/18337-abdullah-discusses-daesh-security-strategy-with-council-of-ministers

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Chaudhry admits ISIS (Daesh) poses serious threat to Pakistan
By KHAAMA PRESS - Tue Feb 24 2015, 10:47 am
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ISIS in PakistanPakistan’s Foreign Office admitted that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISSI) terrorist group is posing a serious threat to the country.
Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, said Monday that the government of Pakistan is on alert to the Islamic State threat in the region.
Briefing lawmakers in Senate Standing Committee at the Parliament House Chaudhry said some extremist elements tried to emerge together on the ISIS platform following the Operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched in North Waziristan last year.
The remarks by Chaudhry were followed after Pakistan’s Interior Minister Chadhry Nisar Ali Khan denied the presence of ISIS in South Asia, particularly in Pakistan.
This comes as former Pakistani Taliban leaders who announced their allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISSI) released a video purportedly showing the beheading of a man whom they identify as a Pakistani military soldier.
The video was released earlier last month by ISIS on Twitter and Jihadi forums, was purportedly showing the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP’s) former spokesman Shahidullah Shahid along with dozens of other militants in a wooded area.
Other militants who appearing in the video also pledged their allegiance to ISIS terrorist group and claimed that they belong to militant groups based in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

http://www.khaama.com/chaudhry-admits-isis-daesh-poses-serious-threat-to-pakistan-9328

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Afghan officials: Gunmen kidnap 30 ethnic Hazaras in south
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Gunmen in southern Afghanistan kidnapped 30 members of the Hazara ethnic community, authorities said Tuesday, in what appeared to be the latest in a series of attacks on Shiites in the predominantly Sunni country.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack Monday afternoon, police and officials said.

The gunmen kidnapped the 30 people, all men, from two vehicles on a major road in Zabul province, provincial Gov. Mohammad Ashraf said. He said all women, children and non-Hazaras were left behind.

Authorities were searching for those kidnapped, some of whom may be government officials, Ashraf said.

Abdul Khaliq Ayubi, a local government official, said the gunmen all wore black clothing and black masks.

The Interior Ministry said the buses were traveling from the southern city of Kandahar to the capital Kabul when the kidnapping was carried out by "unknown armed individuals."

The Hazara, who account for as much as 25 percent of Afghanistan's population, are mainly Shiite. The group has been targeted by the Taliban and other Sunni extremists, who view Shiites as apostates.

The predominantly ethnic Pashtun and Sunni Taliban persecuted the Hazara minority during their 1996-2001 rule, when they imposed a harsh version of Islamic law on the country.

http://www.startribune.com/world/293797531.html

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Clash between radicals: ISIL vs Taliban in Afghanistan
By KHAAMA PRESS - Thu Feb 26 2015, 1:56 pm
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ISIS
After setting the historical shrines of Logar province of Afghanistan on fire on Saturday February 21st, 2015, the ISIL militants also killed one civilian and replaced the Taliban’s white flag with their own black flag in the Charkh district. On the same day, the ISIL men entered locals’ houses, broke their televisions and warn people not to watching television anymore (Tolonews). The ISIL affiliated group claimed the responsibility and asked Talibans militants in the Province to declare their allegiance to Al-Baghdadi, the Caliph of Islamic States of Iraq and the Levant. On Tuesday February 24th, 2015, another 30 men, all from Hazara ethnic minorities, were kidnapped in Zabul province by a group of masked men but no one yet claimed responsibility for it.
Although such incidents were normally claimed by the Taliban as they are the only powerful insurgent group in Logar and Zabul provinces; however, the recent burning of shrines were taken by ISIL group who receives commands directly from their own commander Sa’aad ul Emarati or Hafez Saeed Khan, nominated Governor of Khorosaan.
Since ISIL made significant contribution in international Jihad against the West, Al-Baghdadi claims that the ISIL have gained more achievements in 2014 & 2015 compared to the whole Taliban campaigns in the last fourteen years. Being attracted by even radical group, The Taliban are continuously losing their men to ISIL. In contrast, the ISIL is rapidly maximizing its man power, ammunitions and financial resources. For example, since the announcement of the Khorosaan Province, covering modern day Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, and part of neighboring central Asian countries, in January 2015, the ISIL had not only convinced commanders of Pakistani Taliban to declare their allegiance to Al-Baghdadi, the Group had also nominated the Pakistani Taliban commander Hafez Saeed Khan as the emir of the Khorosaan. Other well-known Taliban figures who had recently joint ISIL are Shahidullah Shahid, Sa’aad al Emarati, Sheikh Muhsin, Dolat Khan, Khalid Mansoor, Abdul Rauf Khadim and dozens/hundreds others. The Allegiance of Hafez Saeed Khan and other Taliban commanders to Al-Baghdadi mean that the Pakistani Taliban is no longer under the command of Mullah Omar and Al-Baghdadi’s calling of Mullah Omar a “fool and illiterate warlord” was even disgraced Mullah Omar’s religious credibility and political weight.
Expansions of the ISIL group in Afghanistan and Pakistan:
Since its creation until the second half of 2014, or most probably until September of the same year, ISIL had never seen in Afghanistan, perhaps not publicly. However, according to the Times of India, the ISIL was shown their presence in Afghanistan when Hafeez Saeed Khan together with some other Taliban commanders declared their allegiance to Al-Baghdadi on July 2014. After few months on September 2014, the ISIL group in Peshawar of Pakistan distributed pamphlets and propaganda messages to Afghan refugees camps in nearby the city and called people to join them. Within few days, many commanders of hardliner insurgent groups, mainly Pakistani Taliban militants in the border provinces of Afghanistan and Pakistan became attracted in supporting ISIL. Among the Afghani members, Abdul Rahim Muslim Dost and Maulawi Abdul Qahar, who were backed by the Taliban in eastern provinces of Nuristan and Kunar, had extended their supports to ISIL.
The ISIL soon began to expand their influences towards southern province of Afghanistan, mainly towards major provinces of Loya Paktia, Ghazni and Helmand. In the late September 2014, just few weeks after the release of ISIL’s first propaganda message in Peshawar, the group killed about 100 people in Ajristan district of Ghazni province; among them 12 persons were women and children who were brutally beheaded. The Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid rejected claims for such mass killing; however, local inhabitants witnessing the scene considered Taliban militants, who were carrying the black flag of ISIL with them, responsible for such murders. According to local Afghan news, Wahdat news, the Taliban militants carrying ISIL’s flag not only killed dozens of people in Ajristan, they had also blocked communication roads to other districts of Ghazni province including Jaghori, Qarabagh and Nahoor.
By the late 2014, despite rapidly expansions of ISIL’s operations in the Eastern and the Southern provinces, the Afghan National Directorate of Security continuously rejected the groups’ presence in the country and denounced ISIL as the Haqqani’s or the Taliban’s militants. When the ISIL men riding on horse with black ISIL’s flags on hand maneuvered in front of the cameras got attentions of Afghan local TVs and newspapers, the group was already involved in hanging Taliban’s militants in Nuristan and recruiting men in east, south and Northern provinces of Afghanistan. Around the country, the ISIL commanders recruited men from eastern provinces of Badakhshan, Nuristan and Nangarhar; South and Eastern provinces of Paktia, Logar, Ghazni, Helmand and Zabul; and Northern provinces of Jawzjan, Kunduz and Parwan. By expanding their presence in almost all major provinces of Afghanistan, today the ISIL is not only considered a powerful rival against the Taliban, the group is also considered great threats to the stability and security of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other neighboring countries.
Afghanistan and the ISIL challenges:
The Afghan Security official claims that they are competent enough to control the situation. The Afghan National Directorate of Security considers the killing of ISIL’s commander Abdul Rauf Khadim and his eight men on February 10th in Helmand as a victory. However, the recent Logar incident which happened in 60km from Kabul reveals that the ISIL is capable of threatening Afghan people anywhere in the country.
Since nominated as the ISIL commander for Helmand, Abdul Rauf Khadim had been a key liaison between various insurgent groups in the country. He had recruited about 300 men fighting with the Taliban, Afghan armies and NATO forces in Helmand province. Abdul Rauf Khadim was a member of Taliban and captured in 2001 by the Americans. In 2007 he was transferred from Guantanamo Bay prison to Afghanistan but released by the Karzai Administration in 2009. Soon after his release, Khadim joint Taliban and served as nominated governor of Helmand. After joining ISIL, Abdul Rauf Khadim and his 45 men were disarmed by the Taliban in January 2015. However, he continued his operation in Helmand until he was killed by U.S. drone on February 10th, 2015. According to local Afghan Medias, like Abdul Rauf Khadim, dozens and hundreds other Taliban fighters are joining ISIL to make new align with a group that is notoriously growing in the country and region.
Today, the Taliban is much fragmented in the rise of even more radical groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Pakistani Taliban, known as the Tahrik e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), is no longer under the central command of Quetta Shura led by Mullah Mohammad Omar. The ISIL, which is rapidly increasing its members, is now considered main rival to the Taliban and receives command from the Governor of Khorosaan or directly from Al-Baghdadi. Other insurgent groups such as the Haqqani group, Al-Qaida, Hezb e Islami Hekmatyar, Islamic Party of Uzbekistan and others insurgents groups are all receiving commands from their own leaders. Amongst the various terrorists groups, the ISIL is not only much radical and well funded, the group had also proved capable of convincing loyal Taliban members such as TTP commander Hafeez Saeed Khan, TTP spokesperson Sheikh Maqbool (Shahidullah Shahid), founder of the radical Abtalul Islam Foundation Sheikh Abu Yazid Khorasani and dozens other Taliban and insurgent groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan to join them.
Future of Afghan-Taliban talk:
From 2001, the Taliban group by claiming Afghanistan under occupation had never agreed to enter into a peace talk with Afghanistan. But in the rise of ISIL in the country, recently, the Taliban had shown green light for a face-to-face discussion with the Ghani Administration. Though it seems Taliban changed their minds or perhaps received order from their main supporter Pakistan for peace deal; however, or perhaps I think, the Taliban is trying their last hope for gaining power in Afghanistan. Otherwise, the Group is already in the edge of fall and their ticket for peace deal will soon expires by few more push by the ISIL in the coming year(s).
By: Deedar R. Khudaidad, Perth-Western Australia, 23/02/15

http://www.khaama.com/clash-between-radicals-isil-vs-taliban-in-afghanistan-9341

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ISIS commander killed in Afghanistan
By KHAAMA PRESS - Mon Mar 16 2015, 2:59 pm
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??????????????????????????????????????????The Ministry of Defense of Afghanistan says that Afghan National Security Forces have killed an Islamic State commander in southern Afghanistan.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defense Hafiz Wahidi was killed along with nine of his companions during an operation conducted in restive Helmand province.
According to the statement Hafiz Wahidi was the replacement for his uncle Mullah Abdul Rawouf, the previous Islamic State commander who was killed last month.
Mullah Abdul Rawouf Khadim was a previous commander of Taliban who had recently joined the ranks of the Islamic State for Afghanistan.
He was also a recruiter of the fighters for the Islamic States. Afghan National Security Forces were in the hunt for Mullah Abdul Rawouf who was finaly killed along with five of his companions in the Kajaki District of Helmand province.
After a group of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) senior commanders announced their allegiance with the Islamic State, they named this region as Khurasaan and announced their commanders for parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Their commanders and members in Afghanistan are reportedly the ex-members of the Taliban insurgents.

http://www.khaama.com/isis-commander-killed-in-afghanistan-3014/

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UN concerned over ISIS presence in Afghanistan
By KHAAMA PRESS - Tue Mar 17 2015, 10:55 am
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ISIS Al-Qaeda Militants Fighting Syrian Civil WarThe United Nations on Monday expressed concern over the presence of the Islamic State supporters in Afghanistan.
Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General of the United Nations states that a few previous Taliban commanders in Afghanistan have pledged allegiance to the Islamic States and the number of their supporters is increasing.
Concerns raised over an increase in the number Islamic States supporters in Afghanistan after unknown masked men kidnapped 30 passengers in southern Zabul province last month and in Zabul’s neighboring Helmand province security forces killed two of the groups commanders.
Mullah Abdul Rawouf and Hafiz Wahidi are the two Islamic State commanders so far killed in Afghanistan.
Mullah Abdul Rawouf was the first Islamic State commander and recruiter who was killed along with five of his companions in Helmand province last month.
Following the killing of Mullah Abdul Rawouf, his nephew Hafiz Wahidi took the command for ISIS who was also killed along with nine of his companions in Afghan National Security Forces operations in Helmand province yesterday.
Abdullah Abdullah, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the government, pointing to the members of Taliban who are now functioning under the name of ISIS, says changing ranks from Taliban to ISIS does not mean they have become more powerful but their threat cannot be underestimated.

http://www.khaama.com/un-concerned-over-isis-presence-in-afghanistan-3019/

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Gen. Dostum says ISIS (Daesh) poses serious threat to Afghanistan
By SAYED JAWAD - Sat Mar 21 2015, 11:04 am
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dostumThe first Vice President Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum warned regarding serious threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to Afghanistan.
Speaking during a ceremony to mark the Nowruz – New Year, Gen. Dostum said the presence of the terrorist group in Afghanistan is a serious threat.
The remarks by Gen. Dostum comes as President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said earlier last month that the global terrorism including al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) stills threatens Afghanistan.
Speaking during the Munic Security Conference in Germany President Ghani warned that there would be consequences if Afghanistan is ignored and the international community shifts focus.
He said the ISIS (Daesh) group is quickly moving to a stage in Afghanistan where it is able to organize, orient, decide and take actions.
In the meantime, the Secretary General of the United Natoins, Ban Ki-moon said earlier this week that the former Taliban commanders in Afghanistan have pledged allegiance to the Islamic States and the number of their supporters is on the rise.
Concerns regarding the expansion of ISIS activities in Afghanistan further escalated after after unknown masked men kidnapped 30 passengers in southern Zabul province last month with reports suggesting that the militants belong to ISIS terrorist group.
At least two commanders of the ISIS terrorist group have been killed by the Afghan security forces so far which includes Mulah Abdul Rauf and his successor Hafiz Wahid.
Mullah Abdul Rawouf was the first Islamic State commander and recruiter who was killed along with five of his companions in Helmand province last month.
Following the killing of Mullah Abdul Rawouf, his nephew Hafiz Wahidi took the command for ISIS who was also killed along with nine of his companions in Afghan National Security Forces operations in Helmand province.

http://www.khaama.com/gen-dostum-says-isis-daesh-poses-serious-threat-to-afghanistan-9947

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Ghani acknowledges ISIS (Daesh) gaining influence in Afghanistan
By MIRWAIS ADEEL - Sat Mar 21 2015, 9:04 pm
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GhaniPresident Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Saturday acknowledged for the first time that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group was gaining influence in Afghanistan.
Speaking during a press briefing ahead of his visit to United States, President Ghani said “Daesh’s characteristic is that it is man-eating. It swallows its competitors.”
“Here, it is not physical presence of people from Syria or Iraq. It is the network effect,” President Ghani added.
The remarks by President Ghani comes as first Vice President Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum warned regarding serious threat of the terrorist group to Afghanistan, saying that the presence of ISIS in Afghanistan poses a serious threat to the country
This comes President Ghani said earlier last month that the global terrorism including al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) stills threatens Afghanistan.
The Secretary General of the United Natoins, Ban Ki-moon said earlier this week that the former Taliban commanders in Afghanistan have pledged allegiance to the Islamic States and the number of their supporters is on the rise.
Concerns regarding the expansion of ISIS activities in Afghanistan further escalated after after unknown masked men kidnapped 30 passengers in southern Zabul province last month with reports suggesting that the militants belong to ISIS terrorist group.
At least two commanders of the ISIS terrorist group have been killed by the Afghan security forces so far which includes Mulah Abdul Rauf and his successor Hafiz Wahid.
Mullah Abdul Rawouf was the first Islamic State commander and recruiter who was killed along with five of his companions in Helmand province last month.
Following the killing of Mullah Abdul Rawouf, his nephew Hafiz Wahidi took the command for ISIS who was also killed along with nine of his companions in Afghan National Security Forces operations in Helmand province.

http://www.khaama.com/ghani-acknowledges-isis-daesh-gaining-influence-in-afghanistan-9952

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President Ghani: Afghanistan strategic for ISIS
By ZABIHULLAH MOOSAKHAIL - Mon Mar 23 2015, 4:25 pm
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Ghani during discussionPresident Mohammad Ashraf Ghani says that DAESH (Islamic State-ISIS) group believes Afghanistan is a strategic foothold for them.
He says DAESH is looking at Afghanistan for its broader war in the Middle East and creating a caliphate (Khalifa).
President Ghani has told NBC News that there is enough evidence to proof that ISIS is considering Afghanistan as a strategic foothold “But we have sufficient evidence that they were targeting us because to their narrative, to their story line, Afghanistan is central.” President Ghani is quoted by NBC News as saying.
President Ghani has also told NBC News that ISIS is organizing in Afghanistan but has been prevented from acting. “Fortunately, we’ve prevented them from acting,” he is quoted as saying.
NBC News further quotes President Ghani as saying that the extremist group believes a final war against them will be waged in Syria by a force from Afghanistan.
So far the names of two commanders of DAESH have popped up in Afghanistan and both have been killed.
Mullah Abdull Rawouf and Hafiz Wahidi are the only two names popped up as ISIS commanders who have been killed in southern Afghanistan.
The topic of DAESH comes on the round tables after reports indicated that Taliban have shown willingness to have a peace deal with the government of Afghanistan.
But in the meantime, some Members of Parliament say it’s only changing the white flag to black.
There are reports that some Taliban members are regrouping under the flag of DAESH in Afghanistan.
Members of the armed insurgent group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in neighboring Pakistan are already seen in a video holding the flag of DAESH.

http://www.khaama.com/president-ghani-afghanistan-strategic-for-isis-3047/

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President Ghani: ISIS a terrible threat to Afghanistan and region
By ZABIHULLAH MOOSAKHAIL - Thu Mar 26 2015, 9:14 am
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Ghani in congressSeeking United States support in fighting the terrorism, President Mohammad Ashraf Gani told lawmakers that the Islamic State terrorist group is sending members to southern and western Afghanistan to “test for vulnerabilities,”
During his speech to Congress in Washington on Wednesday President Ghani assured congress that Afghanistan is standing firm against terrorism and extremism. But warned congress that “Terrorists neither recognize boundaries nor require passports to spread their message of hate and discord,”
He called on other Muslim countries to speak out against extremism and declare “silence is not acceptable.”
In his speech to Congress President Ghani also thanked the people of the United States for their service and sacrifice in Afghanistan.
“We owe a profound debt to the 2,315 servicemen and women killed and the more than 20,000 who have been wounded in service to your country and ours,” Ghani said.
On behalf of Afghan parliament and people, President Ghani thanked the Congress of the United States for its support to Afghanistan.
“The service of American men and women, civilian or military, in our country has been made possible by the bipartisan support of the Congress of the United States,” he said.
He added that “I would like to return that gift of re-born hope by offering the American people a partnership with a nation that is committed to the cause of freedom and that will join the fight against the growing threat of terrorism.”
After the speech a statement was issued by the House Speaker John Boehner in which Ghani was called a “trusted partner.”

http://www.khaama.com/president-ghani-terrible-threat-to-afghanistan-and-region-3061/

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No love for ISIS (Daesh) in Afghanistan, says ex-president Hamid Karzai
By MIRWAIS ADEEL - Sat Mar 28 2015, 9:49 pm
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KarzaiThe former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said there is no love for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group in Afghanistan.
Calling the presence of the terrorist group in Afghanistan as a slogan, Karzai insisted that the group lacks the necessary support in the country.
“There’s a lot of media hype in Afghanistan, but there is no physical evidence of them per se,” Karzai told CNBC in an interview.
Karzai further added “You’ll see that one day a white flag of the Taliban is turned into the black flag of ISIS. The individuals may remain the same, but the change of name is something that can occur easily.”
The remarks by the former President comes as President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani acknowledged for the first time that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group was gaining influence in Afghanistan.
Speaking during a press briefing ahead of his visit to United States last Saturday, President Ghani said “Daesh’s characteristic is that it is man-eating. It swallows its competitors.”
“Here, it is not physical presence of people from Syria or Iraq. It is the network effect,” President Ghani added.
The first Vice President Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum warned regarding serious threat of the terrorist group to Afghanistan, saying that the presence of ISIS in Afghanistan poses a serious threat to the country.

http://www.khaama.com/no-love-for-isis-daesh-in-afghanistan-says-ex-president-hamid-karzai-9959

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Uzbek militants in Afghanistan pledge allegiance to ISIS in beheading video
By MIRWAIS ADEEL - Tue Mar 31 2015, 6:56 am
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IMU allegiance to ISISThe Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) militant group has released a new video which purportedly shows the beheading of an Afghan soldier while the group pledges allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group.
The group is actively operating in northern provinces of Afghanistan and was previously operating under the shadow of the Taliban group.
However, a militant identified as Sadullah Urgenji appears in the video and distances the group from the Taliban group insisting that the Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar is no longer viewed as their leader, Radio Free Europe (RFE) reported.
Urgenji says Mullah Omar has not been seen for some 13 years and, “according to Shari’a,” can no longer be leader.
Urgenji ALSO said his group was recognizing the authority of the Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State group.
According to Urgenji the Afghan soldier was beheaded since numerous female IMU members were captured by the Afghan security forces in Faryab province recently.
He said a group of 30 Afghan soldiers have been taken hostage by Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan militants in retaliation for the detention of the female IMU members.
Urgenji warned that more Afghan soldiers will be beheaded unless the Afghan government does not consider their demand to swap prisoners.
The Afghan government officials have not commented regarding the report so far.

http://www.khaama.com/uzbek-militants-in-afghanistan-pledge-allegiance-to-isis-in-beheading-video-9962

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Mohaqiq confirms 31 Hazaras kidnapped by ISIS (Daesh) militants
By MIRWAIS ADEEL - Sat Apr 04 2015, 6:49 pm
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MohaqiqMohammad Mohaqiq, senior Shiite community leader and deputy to Chief Executive officer Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, has confirmed that the 31 Hazaras have been kidnapped by militants belonging to Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants.
He said two former Taliban leaders – Mullah Abdullah Kaka and his deputy Mullah Mansur Dadullah, who pledged allegiance to ISIS terrorist group, were responsible for the abduction of 31 members of the minority Shiite Hazara community.
Mohaqiq told the Associated Press that the two militant leaders have have simply “changed their white flag” of the Taliban for the black IS flag.
He said there have been no breakthrough to release the abducted men despite the Afghan security forces launched an operation in the week after the kidnappings.
According to Mohaqiq the hostages are still alive and are being held in different areas by the militants who have slip them up into three or four groups.
This is the first time an Afghan leader has confirmed Islamic State group involvement in the kidnappings.
The 31 members of the minority Shiite Hazara community were abducted on Feb. 24 in southern Zabul province of Afghanistan from two vehicles on a major road.

http://www.khaama.com/mohaqiq-confirms-31-hazaras-kidnapped-by-isis-daesh-militants-9975

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posted in wrong thread