Taliban Islamic Movement Controls Up to 70% of Afghanistan

According to the intelligence obtained by Russian Defense Ministry’s General Staff, the Taliban have up to 70 percent of Afghanistan territory under their control.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Taliban Islamic movement currently controls most of Afghanistan, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry’s General Staff’s intelligence department said Thursday.

“[The Taliban] control up to 70 percent of the territory in a number of provinces in the south and east of [Afghanistan],” Col.-Gen. Igor Sergun said at an international conference on Afghanistan in Moscow.

He stressed that there are “more than 10,000 militants and other extremist and criminal groups” in Afghanistan.

The Islamic State is gradually increasing its numbers in Afghanistan, especially in the country’s east and north, Col.-Gen. Igor Sergun added.

“The IS is currently expanding its formations, and according to our estimates, it is being expanded by buying field commanders from the Taliban Islamic Movement, the Uzbek Islamic Movement, and other radical religious organizations operating in Afghanistan,” he said.

According to Colonel general, the groups are concentrating in the country’s east and north.

“Islamic State emissaries have reached most of their success in the eastern and northern provinces of Afghanistan, including along the border of Turkmenistan,” Sergun added.