ISLAMABAD/KABUL: Afghan Taliban said on Monday that their security forces killed two top Islamic State (IS) commanders during an overnight counterterrorism operation in Kabul.
The announcement from the Taliban came hours before the United States said that up to 3,000 IS fighters were operating in the war-ravaged country and carrying out terrorist activities.
Dead commanders of IS
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a late-night statement that “the intelligence and operations chief of Daesh” in Afghanistan was also among the dead commanders of the IS. According to the Voice of America, Mujahid identified the slain IS leader as Qari Fateh.
Daesh, or the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), is an Afghan affiliate of IS, which is a key Taliban adversary in Afghanistan.
Mujahid said that Fateh had masterminded recent attacks against diplomatic missions, mosques and other targets in Kabul.
“The criminal was served justice last night for his brutal actions at the hands of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan special forces during a complex operation in the Kher Khana residential area in Kabul,” he said. IS-K did not immediately comment on the Taliban’s claims of killing its top leaders.
Mujahid also confirmed that during a Taliban counterterrorism operation earlier had killed the IS-K chief for the Indian subcontinent, Ijaz Amin Ahangar, along with his two commanders. He said that “several Daesh members, including foreigners” were also detained recently.
Last week, IS-K confirmed the death of Ahangar, also known as Abu Usman Al-Kashmiri, saying he was killed in a clash with the Taliban on February 14.
The Taliban have periodically carried out operations against IS-K since returning to power in August 2021 after US-led foreign troops withdrew from the country.
The IS-K has routinely launched high-profile attacks targeting civilians, Taliban members and foreign diplomatic missions in Afghanistan.
The United States describes IS-K as a “dangerous” affiliate of IS and remains skeptical about the effectiveness of Taliban counterterrorism efforts.
