FSB head warns about increasing capacity of terrorists in Afghanistan

“Vilayat Khorasan”, a branch of Islamic State foreign terrorist organization, is building up its capacity and in the future may move on to committing terrorist attacks outside of Afghanistan. Director of the FSB of Russia Alexander Bortnikov stated this at a meeting of the Council of Heads of Security Agencies and Special Services of the CIS Member States in Baku.

“We note the increased role of al-Qaeda, which, in alliance with a branch of another organization, the Islamic State - Vilayat Khorasan (ISKP), takes an active part in the preparation, indoctrination and logistical support of controlled terrorist groups,” Bortnikov clarified.

He cited data according to which presently cells of the terrorist organization operate in more than 20 Afghan provinces, and its center is in the Nuristan, which is a transport corridor between Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. There are about 6.5 thousand people in the ranks of Vilayat Khorasan.”

“In the near future, it can achieve a capacity that will allow it to carry out attacks outside of Afghanistan,” Bortnikov stated.