KABUL, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- The hardliner Islamic State (IS) group has been attempting to expand and consolidate its gripe in the eastern region of the war-battered Afghanistan, locals said.
A branch of the Iraq-Syria based extremist group, the militants loyal to IS who surfaced in Achin district of eastern Nangarhar province along the border with Pakistan's tribal areas nearly two years ago, have gained grounds in parts of Kot, Pachiragam, Dehbala, Haskamina and Ghani khil districts.
IS militants which are notorious for their brutality, attacked security checkpoints in Ghani Khil district last week but fled away after suffering casualties and leaving three dead bodies behind.
"Attack on security checkpoint in Ghani Khil district demonstrate that Daesh (IS) attempt to expand activities in the eastern region," a local analyst Tahir Zaland told local media recently.
He also warned that negligence by government would enable the "terrorist group" to enlarge its clutch and create more law and order problems in the area.
Read the full story at Xinhua