KABUL, Afghanistan

Afghan officials claimed on Tuesday that security forces have recently arrested 407 Daesh terrorists from 14 countries, including Pakistan, Turkey, and Iran.

Ahmad Zia Siraj, head of the National Directorate of Security, the country's intelligence agency, told a press conference in the capital Kabul that alongside the Taliban-led insurgency, international terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and Daesh too are still intensively active in Afghanistan.

“Arrested terrorists include nationals of Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Indonesia, Algeria, Bangladesh, India, and the Maldives,” he said, adding that regional countries and world powers must realize and take measures to help counter the spillover impacts of this phenomenon.

The Afghan intelligence chief warned that if the political process to end the conflict failed, the entire region will bear the brunt of the consequences.

While peace talks between the Taliban and Afghan government, which were to begin in Turkey on April 24 have been postponed; America’s top general in Afghanistan has said that the US military has begun closing down operations in the country in line with President Joe Biden's announcement to withdraw all troops by Sept. 11.

Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry said in a statement that Afghan forces conducted clean-up and counteroffensive operations in the restive provinces of Ghazni, Logar, Herat, Laghman, Balkh, Ghor, Faryab, Baghlan, Takhar, Kunduz, Helmand and Kandahar.

“In the armed clashes and counter-attacks, 135 Taliban were killed, 92 injured, and a large number of weapons and ammunition were destroyed,” it said, adding that 72 types of mines planted by the Taliban in different parts of the country were defused.

The local Tolo News reported that a total of 44 civilians and 81 security force personnel have been killed in separate incidents and Taliban attacks since the start of the holy month of Ramadan on April 13.