Nangarhar governor Gulabuddin Mangal said on Monday at a gathering in Jalalabad city that Daesh and other insurgent groups are destroying forests and mining illegally in the province in order to fund their war against Afghan security forces.

“Nangarhar’s regions which have forests and mines are insecure. Taliban and Daesh militants are mining illegally and destroying forests in those areas. This is an income source for their war which has to be rooted out,” he said.

Meanwhile, a number of local officials, religious scholars and members of Nangarhar Provincial Council said at the session that government should eliminate militants from the eastern province.

“We have complaints from government leaders, President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. The eastern provinces have notified them but now they are not paying attention to these residents and are not giving them their rights,” said Haji Hazrat Ali, an MP from Nangarhar.

“Corruption has reached its peak here. There are a number of illiterate chiefs and district governors who have remained in their posts with the help of powerful figures. They do not have the capacity to work in those positions,” said Lal Mohammad Durani, deputy head of Nangarhar Provincial Council.

At the same event, Ahmad Zia Massoud, President Ashraf Ghani’s envoy for reforms and good governance assured Nangarhar residents that their problems would be addressed by government.

“Daesh is a foreign phenomenon; it has to be suppressed. People and government should take action against these elements. Former jihadi leaders should come together and use all their efforts against the militants,” he said.

This comes amid reports that Daesh is active in at least five districts in Nangarhar.