KABUL: Taliban forces in Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province carried out an overnight raid that resulted in the killing of six members of the extremist Islamic State group, according to a Taliban spokesman.
The operation targeted an IS hideout in Nahri Shahi district late Monday night. The regional affiliate group of the Islamic State group in Khorasan Province has been the main rival of the Taliban since their takeover of Afghanistan’s administration in August 2021.
The IS militant group has increased its attacks, targeting both members of Afghanistan’s Shiite minority and Taliban patrols.
In March this year, a member of the Islamic State militant group carried out a suicide bombing that killed three persons, including Daud Muzmal, the Taliban’s appointed governor for Balkh province.
Muzmal is amongst the most senior Taliban officials to have been killed since they got power in mid-August 2021.
Taliban took power of Afghanistan in 2021
The Taliban force swept across Afghanistan in August 2021, seizing power as the United States and NATO forces withdrew after twenty years of war.
The global community has not recognized the Taliban government, wary of the strict measures they have imposed since their takeover, including restricting rights and freedoms, especially for women and minorities.
The Taliban’s clash with the IS group has been ongoing since the latter emerged in Afghanistan in 2015.
While the Taliban has been trying to present a more moderate image to the world, it has continued to launch military offensives against the IS group.
The killing of six IS militants in the latest raid is likely to be seen as a victory for the Taliban in their ongoing fight against the extremist group. However, it remains to be seen how the situation will evolve as the Taliban faces increasing pressure from the international community to improve its human rights record.
The situation in Afghanistan continues to be tense, with reports of clashes between the Taliban and other armed groups, as well as reports of human rights abuses by the Taliban.
The international community has called for an end to the violence and for the Taliban to respect the rights of all Afghans.
