A local extremist group claiming allegiance to the Islamic State emerged in 2014 in the eastern province of Nangarhar, and spread quickly to at least nine districts there. The top American commander has likened the problem to a balloon — when the group is squeezed in one district, it emerges in another. Sign Up You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Borhan Osman, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group who has closely studied militant groups in Afghanistan, said the Islamic State had claimed seven suicide bombings in Kabul since October, more than the Taliban. “As far as I see, the leaders are veterans — they were with the Haqqani Network, the Taliban, or Al Qaeda, and defected to Islamic State in Khorasan, bringing their expertise and network,” Mr. Osman said.

Source: New York Times December 28, 2017 09:11 UTC