“They are not in a position to change the situation drastically,” Jalali said of the spread of the Islamic State, or Daesh, to parts of Afghanistan.
Jalali emphasized that Daesh terrorists “can kill people, but they cannot change the strategic situation.”
In the past two years, groups claiming fealty to Daesh in Afghanistan have clashed with Taliban fighters, largely in the country’s east.
US military officials have raised concerns over the spread of Daesh in Nangarhar province and nearby areas, where their numbers were estimated at approximately 3,000 fighters in late 2015.
According to the Pentagon, Daesh has suffered significant defeats in Afghanistan since the start of 2016 as a result of Afghan and US forces targeted the terrorist group’s strongholds.
