MOSCOW. Dec 5 (Interfax) - The number of fighters belonging to the terrorist organization ISIL (Islamic State, banned in Russia) in Afghanistan is growing and currently varies between 3,500 to 10,000, Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary Rashid Nurgaliyev told Interfax.
"The Taliban movement [banned in Russia as a terrorist organization] is consistently increasing its influence. They currently control nearly half of the country's territory. Islamists regularly seize important administrative centers in the north of Afghanistan and are seeking to gain a foothold along the Tajik-Afghan border," Nurgaliyev said.
"Along with the Taliban's expanding influence, the number of Islamic State fighters is also growing. Terrorists fleeing Iraq and Syria make up its core. According to various estimates, the number of ISIL fighters in Afghanistan varies from 3,500 to 10,000," he said.