By Sharif Amiri
Residents from Achin district in Nangarhar province - who have escaped the area - say militants associated with Daesh are having a devastating effect on the lives of the locals which has led hundreds of people to flee the area.
They say Daesh has imposed major acts of oppression against them and that the security situation in the area is critical.
According to them, the presence of Daesh has forced them to seek refuge in Nangarhar's Shahi district. They claim that Daesh is systematically destroying their homes, by burning them down, plundering their properties.
However, they told TOLOnews they were just happy to get to safety, without any loss of life.
One refugee, Zirgul said: "Daesh does not have mercy on anyone. They kill anyone they find including women, elderly people and children and even the animals."
A number of children, who have witnessed brutality metered out on locals by Daesh militants, were visibly shocked and traumatized, reports Sharif Amiri, who visited the area this week.
Shahidullah is 12 years old and described the horrors he experienced. "I was really afraid of Daesh after they killed our neighbor," he said.Naqibullah is also member of a displaced family who says that at least 150 people from his district are still in the custody of Daesh as hostages.
"My father and uncle are among the 150 hostages who failed to escape with us," Naqibullah said.
Another resident, Mohammad Babur, said that the militants who fight in the area on behalf of Daesh are Pakistani nationals.
Meanwhile, the governor of Nangarhar province Saleem Khan Kunduzi has confirmed that Pakistanis are fighting in the area under the banner of Daesh."They brought me a passport belonging to a Daesh fighter and it was a Pakistani passport," Kunduzi said.
So far Daesh has conducted several deadly attacks in various parts of Nangarhar which is considered a major economic highway for Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, security officials on Wednesday said that Pakistan's spy agency and military troops are directly supporting insurgents through airstrikes and ground clashes in the eastern Paktia province.
In addition, officials say that a senior official from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is leading the battle against Afghan security forces in the Samkanai district of Paktia. Officials also say that at least 600 Pakistani militia are involved in the battle.
However, the Afghan security forces have succeeded in clearing Samkanai of insurgents following a fierce 14-day battle.
Paktia, which is a heavily wooded area, provides plenty of trees for insurgents to take cover behind – including Pakistani militia.
"We have dealt a heavy blow to the enemy. But we are still at war with them," one Afghan soldier told TOLOnews.
Mohammad Shafiq, an army commander, said: "They [Pakistan's ISI and military] have set six million Pakistani Rupees reward for breaking the first [defense] line against the Afghan security forces."
TOLOnews reporter, Wali Arian, who is reporting from the area, says that the Taliban flag can be seen flying in parts of Jani Khel district – which is close to Samkanai. Jani Khel however is under serious threat.
"The situation is really bad. The local police force is faced with lots of problems. This district will fall if no attention is paid to it," police commander for Jani Khel district, Abdul Nasir told TOLOnews.
Army commander, Mohammad Sharif Yaftali, said that an ISI lieutenant is leading the war in Paktia. "Pakistan's Tal city is the command center for the war. They lead the war from there," he added.
A border police officer in Dand Patan district, Ridi Gul seconded this and said the insurgents are entering the province through Para Chinar area to fight the Afghan security forces.