Footages obtained by TOLOnews reveal that a group of fighters loyal to Daesh are training a number of young men and children in remote area in the north of Feroz Koh, the capital of Ghor province in Afghanistan’s central regions.  

Ghor police confirmed the report and said the footages have been prepared in a madrassa in Dara-e-Murghab area – 60 kilometers in the north of Feroz Koh city.   

One of the videos show that the recruits are pledging their allegiance to Daesh. 

In this footage, the fighters speak in Arabic and announce that they obey the orders of Daesh leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi. 

Ghor Police Chief Gen. Mustafa Mohseni said Daesh is trying to make its stronghold in north of Feroz Koh city and it has trained dozens of people including teenagers and children.

He said that nine commanders of Daesh have entered the country from abroad and are responsible for training new recruits for the group in Dara-e-Murghab area.

“Daesh is trying to establish a stronghold in north of Feroz Koh in Dara-e-Murghab area. This is concerning. If this happens, the group will threaten nine provinces of the country from this area,” he said.

Other Ghor officials said the group is led by two local Daesh commanders, Qari Rahmatullah and Mawlawi Taj Mohammad, who were fighting government under another militant group previously.

Members of Ghor Provincial Council said they are concerned about the possible threat posed by the fighters loyal to Daesh in the province. 

“It will be a big threat to Ghor province if the group makes a stronghold in Dara-e-Murghab area. This is really concerning,” said Basir Ahmad Qaderi, deputy head of Ghor Provincial Council.

Ghor civil society activists said Daesh is recruiting in the province for the past year but security forces have not taken any step to stop the group from growing its fighters.

“The group (Daesh) is recruiting in parts of Ghor for the past year and they are making safe havens there, they go to other parts from Dara-e-Murghab and recruit there. This is really concerning for the province,” said Mohammad Gul Poya, a civil society activist in Ghor.

Ghor officials said the group will threaten Faryab, Sar-e-Pul, Bamiyan, Badghis and Herat provinces if they built their training camp in Dara-e-Murghab area.

Recently, two preachers of Daesh were arrested in Herat and Nimroz provinces who were on the way to Ghor.