Thousands of Afghans flee homes as ISIS spreads evil tentacles

Meanwhile Afghan security forces are losing 500 men every month as they battle to stem the tide.

A Pentagon spokesman said: "We are aware of the presence of Isil affiliated militants in Afghanistan, and we are monitoring closely to see whether their emergence will have a meaningful impact on the threat environment in the region."

ISIS has taken advantage of the country's weakness after the withdrawal of British and American troops, as well as the fragmentation of the Taliban.

In recent months, prominent fighters who had close ties to the Taliban and Al Qaeda have reportedly changed loyalties to ISIS.

Meanwhile Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was reportedly killed in battle earlier this week – but the terror group denied the claim.

Shashank Joshi of the Royal United Services Institute said the development gives ISIS a fresh advantage.

He told The Times: ”Their best chance is to exploit grievances within the Taliban, and that is best done in the environment we see now," he said.

"The Taliban are vulnerable to having entire networks defecting en masse, not out of natural loyalty towards Islamic State, but out of discord within their own organisation.

"That would be the quickest way for Islamic State to amass strength and it is how they have done so elsewhere."

An international coalition, including Britain and the USA have started a wide scale bombing campaign in Syria to combat the Islamist group.

RAF Typhoon fighter jets have begun combat operations over the ISIS heartland, with Ministry of Defence officials confirming they had successfully killed an ISIS sniper team in one mission over Iraq.

Germany, France and Russia have also joined the campaign after suicide bombings in Paris shocked the world.

Meanwhile Vladimir Putin is preparing to launch a 'Doomsday' plane which is used in the event of nuclear war and is said to be 'invincible’.

(The Daily Star)