Ahead of U.S. visit, Afghan leader warns of Islamic State threat

(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.

Reports have been growing that some commanders of the Islamist Taliban forces fighting the Afghan government are swearing allegiance to the radical Islamist network that controls swathes of Syria and Iraq, sometimes called "Daesh".

"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."

The United Nations mission to Afghanistan said recently there was no indication of widespread or systematic direct support for Afghan fighters from IS leaders in the Middle East.

However, Ghani, who is due to meet President Barack Obama on Tuesday and to address Congress on Wednesday, said the danger should not be underestimated.  Read More

Ahead of U.S. visit, Afghan leader warns of Islamic State threat

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