Afghanistans military plans to launch a major operation to stop the Islamic State group making inroads into the countrys northern provinces, officials said Tuesday, after AFP reported that fighters including French nationals were present there.
"(The) ministry of defence is planning to launch an operation against Daesh in northern provinces of Sari Pul, Faryab and Jowzjan," defence ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri told AFP, using the Arabic acronym for the Middle Eastern jihadist group.