EU stresses Daesh presence in Afghanistan

The European Union (EU) calls the presence and activities of the Daesh in the border areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan a threat and emphasized to monitor the group’s efforts.

Franz-Michael Skjold Mellbin, EU special envoy for Afghanistan is said to consider the current situation of the country alarming; adding Afghan troops will succeed in the season against Taliban group.

“Daesh is a threat for Afghanistan like Taliban and Al-Qaeda. What important is that Afghans demand peace. Without a doubt Afghan troops will succeed against them,” Mellbin said.

EU voiced deep concern about the presence of Daesh and unreservedly condemned the atrocities, killings and human rights abuses perpetrated by ISIL/Da’esh and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

Since the beginning of this year, increasing reports about fighters operating inside Afghanistan under the black banner of Daesh, the Arabic acronym of the self-declared Islamic State, have emerged.

First, there were rumors alleging that foreign fighters, supposedly linked to Daesh, appeared in Afghanistan, specifically in the western province of Farah, bordering Iran, and the southern provinces of Helmand and Zabul, bordering Pakistan.

Those rumors were followed by sightings of black-dressed warriors. In the beginning, Afghan officials were reluctant to state that those fighters were affiliated with Daesh and referred to them simply as terrorists.

Later, they often said that the black-clad fighters were mere splinter groups of the Taliban and the Haqqani Network that just changed their names and that there was no reason to fear the intrusion of the Islamic State into Afghanistan.

Then, a spokesman of Daesh announced the group’s expansion into Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Afghans were immediately captured by the thought of Daesh spreading into Afghanistan.

Despite official statements claiming that those fighters were merely part of the Taliban and other insurgents simply calling themselves the Islamic State, many Afghans were anxiously talking about Daesh establishing itself in the country.

Then, officials — among them Senators and Governors — publicly stated that Daesh was not only operating in Farah, Helmand, and Zabul, but also in the southeastern province of Ghazni, and the northern provinces of Faryab, bordering Turkmenistan, and Kunduz, bordering Tajikistan.

Chaos and anarchy will have a longer shelf life if Daesh is allowed to get away with their brand of violence. Governments stretching from the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia must come together, share information and troops and fight the devil in the form of Daesh.

Reported by Fawad Naseri