Mohammad Mohaqiq, the CEO’s second deputy, said on Saturday that Daesh had increased its activities in the country. 

He had been speaking about the eight coalminers killed in Baghlan in what is believed to have been a Daesh attack. 

Mohaqiq linked the killing to small Takfiri groups and said out of 100 terrorist groups in the world, 20 of them are active in Afghanistan.

“They are part of Takfiri groups that are active in Syria, Iraq and some other countries. They have been active in Afghanistan for about one year,” he said.

The group first started activities in Nangarhar province and then recruited fighters from Logar and Nuristan provinces.

But recently the group carried out activities in Faryab, Jawzjan, Sar-e-Pul, Uruzgan and Baghlan provinces.

“According to our information, Daesh fighters are trying to establish safe havens in Nangarhar and expand their activities to other provinces,” said Mohammad Nasir Kamawal, head of Nangarhar provincial council.

Ministry of Defense (MoD) however said Daesh is only active in Nangarhar, Kunar, Nuristan and Zabul provinces.

“A number of armed individuals use the name of some groups (Daesh) to carry out some activities. They first change their flag and then their fighting tactics and carry out such activities that they did in Baghlan,” said Mohammad Radmanesh, deputy spokesman of MoD.