Fighting terrorism, narcotics need joint regional action.: Afghan president

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Sunday said that fighting terrorism and overcoming narcotics needed joint regional action. "All countries in the region should be responsible for fighting against terrorism and the eradication of narcotics. The Daesh or Islamic State outfit has not been spreading from Afghanistan to the region but it is being spread to Afghanistan from other countries," Ghani told reporters after returning home from Russia where he attended Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS Summits.

The Afghan leader said that the IS militants were a threat not only for Afghanistan but for all countries in the region.

"Our security forces are determined to fight all enemies including Daesh and other terror outfits. Our security forces will never be defeated," Ghani said.

He made the comments as the country's intelligence agency confirmed killing of over 50 IS affiliate militants, including three senior IS leaders named Shahidullah Shahid, Gulzaman and Hafez Sayeed in eastern Nangarhar province within the past week.

Regarding the peace talks with the Taliban, president Ghani said that "we remained committed into peace talks but we want peace with dignity,"

His comments came after high-level talks were held near Islamabad between representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban last week, and the two sides agreed to continue the talks after Ramadan, the Muslims' fasting month. Endi