Arrest of 80 ISIS Members Prevents Major Attacks in Northern Afghanistan

Photo: NDS via Human rights watch

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced that security forces have arrested 80 members of the terrorist group ISIS, preventing large-scale attacks in northern provinces, particularly in Kabul and Balkh.

According to him, the country’s security and defense forces are on the front lines of the battle against terrorists every day and make sacrifices that must be recognized and appreciated.

Earlier, Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, reported on the continued activities of ISIS in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, saying that despite the weakening of its military capabilities, the group still maintains resistance in these two provinces. Reports estimate the number of ISIS fighters in Afghanistan to be between 1,000 and 2,200.

The arrest of this number of ISIS members comes as the Nowruz festival approaches, with the city of Mazar-i-Sharif preparing to hold its annual flag-raising ceremony and the Gul-e-Surkh festival. Opposition to Nowruz is part of the strategy of extremist groups like ISIS, which seek to target Afghanistan’s ancient traditions and cultural values through threats and violence.