Afghanistan says reports of IS presence in country unfounded

The Afghan interim government called reports of the presence of the Islamic State (IS) group in the country unfounded and strongly rejected them. This is what the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in its message.

“We reaffirm that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will not allow anyone to threaten Afghanistan's national security or use our territory against others,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Kahar Balkhi tweeted.

The Iranian Foreign Minister, according to media reports, said that IS fighters were transferred to Afghanistan from Syria, Libya and Iraq.

“We refute the Iranian Foreign Minister's assertion that ISIS leaders were transferred to Afghanistan from Iraq, Syria and Libya,” Abdul Kahar Balkhi said.

While Afghan security forces have eliminated and arrested dozens of IS-linked militants, the extremist group has claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks, including bombings in the Afghan capital Kabul, in the past two years.