Security officials in Afghanistan’s northeastern province of Badakhshan say they have detained citizens of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan -- together with two Afghan police officers -- on suspicion of being involved in terrorist activities.
The officials told RFE/RL on August 5 that the two men and the local Afghan police were detained recently during a counterterrorism operation in the province.
The detained Tajik citizen was identified as Alikul, son of Ahmadkul, from Tajikistan's southern city of Qulob.
Afghan authorities say he confessed to being a member of the Jamaat Ansarullah group, which is considered by many countries to be a terrorist organization.
The Kyrgyz man was named as "Abdullah, son of Farmon."
He reportedly confessed that he is a member of a little-known group called Sipohi Kyrgyzstan -- "The Guard of Kyrgyzstan."
The detained suspects also reportedly confessed that they were planning terrorist attacks in northern Afghanistan.