UN Report Released This Week, The Defeat And Isolation of The War Has Reduced The Strength Of Isis Militants In Afghanistan To An Organization Of About 200 Fighters.

The country's eastern province of Nangarhar has been the organisation's stronghold since ISIS entered Afghanistan a decade ago.

According to the Dawn newspaper, the United Nations reports that "from September to November 2019, the number of ISIS operatives in seven districts in Nangarhar has dropped to 1,750 and in 22 districts to less than 200 fighters under the leadership of the council."

The report, prepared by UN observers and Afghans in contact with them, examines the current situation in Afghanistan in the context of a peace deal between the United States and the Taliban.

"Supporting the Taliban in counter-terrorism to counter any threat posed by al-Qaeda will give the international community confidence in its success in dealing with the ISIS threat," the UN report said.

The report added that "a large number of foreign fighters in Afghanistan, including about 6,500 Pakistanis, will face complex challenges to achieve their goals and livelihoods, which will require careful monitoring."

The report said most of them were affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIS and used their bases in Afghanistan to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.

It may be recalled that in December 2014, six TTP terrorists attacked the Army Public School in Peshawar in which 149 people, including 132 children, were killed.

The UN report says Pakistani militant groups have strongholds in the eastern Afghan provinces of Kunar, Nangarhar and Nuristan, where they operate under the shadow of the Afghan Taliban.