An operation launched by the Taliban in Kabul, Afghanistan, resulted in the death of several members of the Islamic State (EI) jihadist organization, as the spokesman of the fundamentalist group, Bilal Karimi, told Efe on Monday.
This was the first such action taken against ISIS hideouts in the Afghan capital since the Taliban took full control of the Asian country on August 31st.
According to the source, a house, which served as a base for the members of the Islamic State, was partially destroyed and everyone who was hiding there ended up dying.
Karimi, however, did not report the exact number of victims. The Taliban spokesman indicated that a large quantity of explosives stored at the site by members of the jihadist group had been detonated.
The operation was classified by the source as “successful and decisive”, since the location was used as a base for the preparation of attacks on Kabul.
On the other hand, witnesses told Efe that the operation resulted in fighting that lasted for hours, and that it was possible to hear numerous shots of firearms and some explosions.
The Taliban action came a day after an attack near the entrance to a mosque in Kabul, in which at least five people died and four were injured.
At the time of the attack, a ceremony was being held in memory of the mother of the main spokesperson for the fundamentalist group, Zabihullah Mujahid. No group or armed organization, however, claimed responsibility for the crime.
Kabul, as well as Nangarhar and Parwan provinces, have been the main venues for fighting between the Taliban and ISIS in recent weeks.
In Afghanistan, ISIS’s main area of operations is Nangarhar, where several clashes have taken place. The group, on August 26, committed an attack on the airport in Kabul, in which more than 180 people died.