Concerns mount over Daesh recruitments in Jawzjan

(MENAFN- Afghanistan Times) AT News Report-KABUL: Officials in the northern province of Jawzjan are concerned over the recruitments by the Daesh terrorist group in the area, amid the central government's allegations about the weakness of the group.

Babor Ishchi, head of the provincial council said that Daesh has accelerated activities in the districts of Daezab and Qosh Tepa.

'According to information we have received, the Daesh terrorists are ruling in every area, they recruit the youth and blackmail villagers,' Ishchi told Radio Liberty.

More than 3,000 families have fled their villages because of the Daesh presence, he added.

The terrorist group was already active in the eastern province of Nangarhar, but the northern Jawzjan seem to be second home to it, since the New York Times had earlier quoted the local officials as saying that the province had turned to the 'Daesh factory'.

Security officials said that the group took some 200 religious scholars and tribal elders last month, who were ordered to propagate in favor the terrorists.

Hanif Rezayee, an officer of the Shahin 209 military corps said that foreign fighters were seen among the Daesh fighters.

Also, the provincial police chief said that Uzbek, Chechen and French fighters are in the ranks of Daesh in Darzab district.

But, ministry of defense expresses unawareness of the identities of foreign fighters with Dawlat Waziri, spokesman for the ministry saying that he does not know which countries they were from. 'One thing is clear that anyone who fights under the name of Daesh, is the enemy of Afghan people and will be removed by the security forces.

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the leader of Hezb-e-Islami believes that the Daesh fighters have come from Syria and Iraq to the country.

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