Afghanistan determined to stop ISIL expansion: officials

KABUL -- Afghanistan's efforts to destroy the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) will not stop until it has eliminated the group completely from its territory, officials say.

The Afghan government last June approved a strategy to combat ISIL amid increasing concerns over the terrorist group's influence in the country.

"The operations against terrorist groups, and especially ISIL, will continue during the winter," Gen. Mohammad Radmanesh, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, told Salaam Times.

The government's hard-line stance against ISIL comes as some media outlets have reported about the expansion of the group in Afghanistan.

The group is vigorously trying to expand its presence, as well as its bases, in Afghanistan, he said.

"ISIL initially tried to expand its influence and presence in nine Afghan provinces," Radmanesh said. "ISIL has failed, however, thanks to the offensives conducted by the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) with the co-operation of popular uprisings."

ISIL fighters operate only in Nangarhar, Kunar, and Nuristan provinces, he said.

"ISIL members have murdered innocent civilians and have burned down people's houses," said Brig (ret.) Abdulghaffar Gardizi.

"This group is trying to expand its influence in Afghanistan, and if its expansion is not prevented early on [...], this task will become far more difficult in the future," he told Salaam Times.

ISIL has been unable to succeed in Afghanistan but it will not give up easily, said Gen. (ret.) Zalmi Wardak, a Kabul-based military analyst.

"They are still striving to achieve their objectives in Afghanistan," he told Salaam Times.

Afghans reject ISIL views

Chief among the reasons for ISIL's failure thus far is the public's rejection of the group's extremist views, observers say.

"ISIL's ideas and practices are contrary to Islam and the people's culture," said Aymil Khan, a 35-year-old recent university graduate from Nangarhar Province.

"This is the reason for which the people of Nangarhar have rejected this group and have taken up arms against them," he told Salaam Times, adding that the people are co-operating with the government in its fight against ISIL.

"Ordinary people and intellectuals alike do not approve of ISIL's extremist views and ideas," said Gen. (ret.) Atiqullah Amarkhil of Kabul, a military analyst. "They do not want this group to dominate Afghanistan."

"By targeting Shia religious ceremonies, ISIL tried to initiate a war between Shia and Sunni in Afghanistan but to no avail," said Mahmoud Danesh, a law student at a private university in Kabul.

"Afghans are united, and they must remain vigilant, so that they won't be deceived by the conspiracies of ISIL," he told Salaam Times.

Challenges ahead

During a visit to troops in Laghman Province on January 15, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani pledged to provide the ANDSF with superior weaponry, media reported.

"Launch an operation to eradicate ISIL," he ordered the troops.

Despite ISIL's failures thus far and its lack of support among the Afghan people, it will be difficult for the Afghan government to fight ISIL alone, said Gen. (ret.) Zalmi Wardak of Kabul, a military analyst.

"It is imperative that Afghanistan's international allies help in combating ISIL," Wardak said.

"When it comes to fighting ISIL, the ANDSF have a number of priorities in mind, including military logistics and equipment, use of engineering and intelligence technologies, and continued offensives during the winter," said Radmanesh, the Ministry of Defence spokesman.

Afghan troops will crush ISIL this spring after receiving more coalition support in the form of air strikes and special forces' deployments, he said.