US intends to free Afghanistan from ISIS militants this year

Baku. 2 May. REPORT.AZ/ The US aims to free the regions of Afghanistan from the militants of the terrorist group Islamic State (ISIS) in 2017.

Report informs referring to RIA Novosti, US military spokesman in Afghanistan Bill Salvin stated.

"We have a very good chance of destroying them in 2017, making it very clear that when the ISIS fighters are destroyed elsewhere around the globe that this is not the place for you to come to plot your attacks," Salvin told.

According to him, the local IS presence peaked at between 2,500 to 3,000 but that defections and recent battlefield losses had reduced their number to a maximum of 800.

The US in 2001 launched a military operation against the Taliban militants in Afghanistan. At present, America has about 8400 troops in Afghanistan. Most belong to a NATO mission to train and advise Afghan partner forces fighting the Taliban.