Army chief: Afghanistan secure, IS presence claims baseless

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Chief of Army Staff at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) says the Islamic State (IS), also known as Daesh, holds no territory or bases in Afghanistan and that most discussions around the group amount to psychological and propaganda warfare.

At a press conference outlining the annual achievements of government entities, officials from MoD presented the ministry’s accomplishments at the Government Media and Information Centre today (Tuesday).

Chief of Army Staff Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat said the ministry has consistently taken serious, firm and proportionate action in response to both current and potential threats to Afghanistan’s territorial integrity.

He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to the principles of non-interference, good neighbourliness, and mutual respect with neighbouring countries.

Speaking about Daesh, he remarked: “This so-called Daesh project, allegedly originating from beyond our borders, is nothing but a tool of psychological and propaganda warfare.”

He added: “Security across Afghanistan is fully ensured. The noise regarding Daesh or foreign terrorists allegedly present in Afghanistan is nothing more than a propaganda campaign against the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), intended to distort the reality on the ground.”

Qari Fasihuddin emphasised that Daesh has no operational bases in Afghanistan and lacks the capacity to conduct operations.

He also noted that the IEA has made every effort to repatriate Afghan aircraft taken abroad, stressing that the aircraft rightfully belong to Afghanistan and that the caretaker government would not forgo its claim to them.

“Efforts have been ongoing for the past four years, and we continue to work towards bringing those aircraft back and putting them into use,” he explained. “While we have yet to succeed, our efforts to persuade other parties to return them are ongoing and we remain optimistic.”

Highlighting security developments over the past year, the Chief of Army Staff said 15 border brigades, 93 battalions, and 765 outposts have been stationed along the Durand Line and other borders with neighbouring countries to defend Afghanistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He also reported the establishment of 13 coordination centres with Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and China, of which seven are currently operational. Work continues to activate the remaining centres.

Meanwhile, MoD spokesman Enayatullah Khwarazmi stated that the number of troops in Afghanistan’s National Army currently stands between 150,000 and 200,000.

He added that with this number of Islamic National Army personnel, the security of the country’s borders, highways, and urban centres can be effectively maintained.

kk/ma