The commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan says the Islamic State extremist group is recruiting fighters in Afghanistan, but they are not yet operational.
General John F. Campbell told reporters in Kabul on May 24 that the IS group was recruiting in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan.
Campbell said most self-styled IS fighters in Afghanistan were Taliban insurgents rebranding themselves to appear more powerful.
"What we are seeing is that Taliban are rebranding...and they see this is an opportunity to gain resources and attention," he said.
His comments come amid fears that the IS group is making inroads in Afghanistan since U.S.-led NATO forces ended their combat mission late last year.
IS has never formally acknowledged its presence in Afghanistan.
