Afghanistan claims to arrest Daesh/ISIS regional chief

KABUL, Afghanistan

Afghan security forces on Monday claimed arresting Ziaul Haq, the head of Daesh/ISIS for South Asia and Far East along with other key terrorists of the group.

The Afghan intelligence agency National Directorate of Security (NDS) and Interior Ministry said in a joint statement that Haq -- also known as Abu Omar Khorasani -- was arrested following interrogations of previously detained Daesh/ISIS terrorists.

Spokesman for the National Security Council Javed Faisal told Anadolu Agency that the so-called Islamic State for Khorasan Province (ISKP) "public relations chief" Suhaib and "intelligence chief" Abu Ali have also been detained in the same operation.

Last month, the NDS arrested the head of Daesh/ISIS for Afghanistan Abdullah Orakzai -- also known as Aslam Farooqi -- a terrorist of Pakistan origin. A diplomatic row developed between Afghanistan and Pakistan as Kabul rejected Islamabad's demand to hand over Pakistan-born Orakzai.

In November last year, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani declared that Daesh/ISIS had been "obliterated" in his country, with hundreds of its fighters surrendering to security forces.