BREAKING NEWS

Ahead of US visit, Afghan leader warns of Islamic State threat

KABUL, March 21 (Reuters) - President Ashraf Ghani publicly acknowledged for the first time on Saturday that Islamic State was gaining influence in Afghanistan, as he prepared to leave for the United States to seek to slow the withdrawal of American troops.
"Daesh's characteristic is that it is man-eating. It swallows its competitors," Ghani told reporters in a briefing. "Here, it is not physical presence of people from Syria or Iraq. It is the network effect."