KABUL: The Taliban has denied reports that former Afghan security forces have joined the ranks of the Islamic State terrorist group, Sputnik reported citing Tolo News on Tuesday.
On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported that a small number of former Afghan intelligence officers trained in the United States and ex-employees of elite military units joined the local IS militants after the Taliban captured Kabul in mid-August.
"It is impossible for representatives of the former government security forces to join the IS... we have not seen the evidence of this, and it cannot be possible," the broadcaster quoted the Taliban representative as saying.
According to the WSJ report, the former security personnel are mostly US-trained Afghan spies who have been joining the terror group in northern Afghanistan.
As per Khaama Press, the WSJ report further states that the former Afghan spies are joining ISIS-K as they have been left broke after the government collapse and also to fight the Taliban.
Afghanistan has been witnessing a spike in targeted assassinations and bomb blasts.
According to media reports, Nangarhar has been facing targeted assassinations and bomb blasts, with the pro-Daesh/ISIS claiming multiple attacks.
As many as 65 terrorists affiliated to Islamic State (IS) have surrendered to Taliban-led authorities.
Earlier this month, the Taliban claimed to have dismantled a Daesh hideout in the capital Kabul, blamed for many attacks.
According to Anadolu Agency, the group claimed a massive suicide bombing in Kandahar, besides orchestrating targeted killings in Nangarhar and Parwan provinces as well as a massive suicide bombing in a Shia community mosque in the northern Kunduz province, killing more than 100 people.