Over the past week, at least “300 Daesh members” including women and children surrendered to Afghan Special Forces in Achin district of Nangarhar province, said Waliullah, the Army Special Forces commander in Achin district.
He said that Daesh has been suppressed in Nangarhar province:
“We conducted joints operation with local police, army and national police in Achin district and put a lot of pressure on Daesh,” said Commander Waliullah.
According to the Afghan military, Daesh in Achin have taken heavy casualties. They have become known as the “Khorasan branch” of Daesh in recent months.
According to Abdulhaq Omere, a TOLOnews reporter, a number of these Daesh members are citizens of Pakistan.
Abdul Wahid, 35, was a resident of Farah province but joined Daesh with eight brothers in Achin district six years ago. He married a female Daesh member who was a Pakistani citizen and she bore a son.
“There were Daesh members from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Iran, Kurdistan and Iranian Baluchistan and they were staying in our guest house, but not for a long time. After having a meal or resting for a night they would move on to other areas,” said Wahid.
“Most of the Daesh members were married. Even if they were single they could easily find a wife here because the cost for marriage was not as high as in the city,” said Abdul Nasir, another former member of Daesh.
Omar Faroq, 40, was a member of Daesh and a resident of Pakistan’s Khyber District in Pakistan (in the Peshawar Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province). Faroq said that most of the Daesh members are residents of Bajaur District and Orakzai District in Pakistan.
“There were Tajik, Pakistani and Arab fighters with us, but we didn’t know where they were coming from or who was providing them with logistical support. We were receiving logistical support--and we didn’t know who was behind our logistics,” said Faroq.
“My children were orphans, and I never understood the situation. They (Daesh members) were only providing food for my children, but I never knew about their jobs,” said Gulaba, a former member of Daesh.
The surrendered fighters said they were ordered to leave Nangarhar because of military pressure and travel to Kunar and the northern provinces of Afghanistan.
“Daesh has control over lots of area in Kunar province, and some of them (fellow Daesh members) went to Kunar. There are a lot of fighters from Bajaur (District) among the Daesh ranks,” said Mrowat, a Pakistani citizen.