Number of militants in Afghanistan up to 50,000 people — Russian General Staff

MOSCOW, October 8. /TASS/. The number of militants fighting on the side of Islamic State in Afghanistan has reached 3,500 over the space of a year, the Russian president’s envoy for Afghanistan said on Thursday.

"Islamic State, rising in Afghanistan, presents a paramount danger," said Zamir Kabulov, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Second Department for Asia.

"Just think about it — IS actually appeared in Afghanistan a year ago and already has 3,500 under arms, plus sympathizers who may quickly switch sides to join the militants."