Afghan Taliban government on Thursday said that a network of Daesh militants involved in the attack on Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul has been eliminated in an operation.
On December 2, Daesh militants stormed the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul, targeting Chargé d’Affaires (CdA) to Afghanistan Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani. The diplomat escaped the attack unharmed, but his bodyguard was critically wounded by the gunshots.
The banned Islamic State group’s Khorasan chapter (IS-K) had claimed responsibility for the attack, confirming that it was targeting the Pakistani envoy.
In a statement issued today, the Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that Afghan security forces carried out operations in Kabul against a “dangerous network” of the Islamic State group or Daesh who were involved in attacks on the Pakistani embassy and on a hotel where Chinese nationals were staying.
و نیز داعشی های خارجی را به افغانستان انتقال میداند، حملات گسترده و هماهنگ اجرا شد، که در ضمن آن در ساحات ( شهدای صالحین و قلاچه مربوط حوزه هشتم شهر کابل و نیز در شهر زرنج مرکز ولایت نیمروز) سه مخفی کاه آنها هدف قرار گرفت.
۳/۲— Zabihullah (..ذبـــــیح الله م ) (@Zabehulah_M33) January 5, 2023
Five of Beijing’s citizens were reportedly hurt in a bombing and gun attack on December 12th. Later, China has requested that its citizens leave Afghanistan due to security reasons.
The militants killed in the operation also took part in a bomb attack near a military airfield in Kabul and other locations, the spokesperson for the Afghan government stated today.
He claimed that the Western Nimroz province also carried out an operation against Daesh.
He claimed that the raids on Wednesday resulted in the deaths of eight members of Daesh and several foreign nationals.
Mujahid went on to say that the killed terrorists had planned more attacks on key targets. “They planned to bring Daesh members from other countries and launch coordinated attacks.”
The spokesperson said the operation in Kabul was carried out in the Shuda-e-Saliheen and Qalacha areas as well as Zaranj, the capital of Nimroz. Three hideouts were “eliminated” during the operation.
Small arms, hand grenades, mines, suicide jackets and explosives were recovered from the hideout and seven Daesh members were arrested. Some other suspects were also taken into custody for questioning.
The operation in Kabul has once again raised concerns about the activities of Daesh in the capital city and other parts of the country. Taliban rulers usually downplay the threat of Daesh in Afghanistan despite international reports about the growing activities of the group.
