Afghan forces foil ISIS plan to assassinate top US diplomat

(Karachi) Amid recent spate of killings in Afghanistan, the Afghan authorities have said that they foiled a plan by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group to assassinate the top US envoy in Kabul, local media reported on Thursday.

As per details, intelligence officers arrested four members of the militant organisation in Nangarhar that had planned to murder US Charge d'Affaires in Kabul Ross Wilson and other Afghan officials.

Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS) said that Wilson had condemned a series of assassinations in the capital and other cities of prominent Afghans including journalists, activists and politicians in recent months. "The main assassin and facilitator of the cell, Abdul Wahed, had planned to assassinate the US ambassador in Afghanistan as well as some high-ranking Afghan officials," the NDS said. "Their plan was foiled with their arrest."

The NDS did not offer further details and the United States embassy in Kabul did not respond to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, the US State Department said in a statement that it is aware of deeply troubling reports that members of ISIS were plotting to assassinate U.S. Charge d’Affaires Ambassador Ross Wilson. It added that the safety and security of US personnel overseas is United States highest priority.