The Taliban destroyed an Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) cell in Kabul, the group’s spokesperson has said, just hours after a fatal blast detonated at a major mosque that was holding prayers for his recently deceased mother.
Taking to Twitter early on Monday, Zabihullah Mujahid, the son of the deceased woman, confirmed that a “special unit” had carried out an operation on Sunday against “ISIS insurgents” in the capital.
He added that “the operation, which was very successful and decisive, resulted in the complete destruction of the center and the death of ISIS insurgents.”
The offensive occurred just hours after a blast went off outside Eid Gah Mosque, the capital’s second-largest place of worship, where funeral processions were being held for the top Taliban official’s mother, who died last week.
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Mujahid confirmed the attack on the building on Sunday, writing on Twitter that a bomb had been detonated which had left “a number of civilians dead.” Three suspects were arrested by Taliban forces in the wake of the explosion.
The offensive occurred just hours after a blast went off outside Eid Gah Mosque, the capital’s second-largest place of worship, where funeral processions were being held for the top Taliban official’s mother, who died last week.
Mujahid confirmed the attack on the building on Sunday, writing on Twitter that a bomb had been detonated which had left “a number of civilians dead.” Three suspects were arrested by Taliban forces in the wake of the explosion.
An Interior Ministry official told RIA Novosti that the incident resulted in at least two fatalities and three injuries. Unnamed Taliban sources, however, gave the outlet a much higher death toll, stating that the bombing had claimed at least 12 lives and injured over 30 people.
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ISIS claims responsibility for deadly blasts outside Kabul airport
Gunfire reportedly followed the explosion at the mosque, suggesting that the perpetrators behind the attack had fought Taliban forces after detonating the bomb. Local media reports suggested that Islamic State’s Afghan branch was behind the attack.
IS claimed responsibility for a major suicide bombing at Kabul airport during hasty US and international evacuation missions in August. The bloody attack killed 13 American servicemen, at least 28 Taliban members, and scores of Afghan civilians, leaving dozens injured.
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