KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The National Resistance Front (NRF), an armed group opposing the Taliban, announced it carried out an attack on a convoy of Taliban special units in Kabul, resulting in the deaths and injuries of nine Taliban members.
On Thursday evening, local sources in Kabul reported an explosion in the Kote Sangi area of the city’s 5th district, but no further details were available regarding its nature or the number of casualties.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) hours later, the NRF claimed responsibility for the explosion, stating that its “freedom fighters” targeted a Taliban convoy near the Ariana Hotel in the Kote Sangi area, killing five Taliban members and injuring four others.
The NRF added that two Taliban military vehicles were destroyed, and five weapons were seized during the operation.
“No harm came to civilians or the brave freedom fighters of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan during this counter-terrorism operation,” the NRF said.
Taliban officials have yet to comment on this attack.
This incident is the latest in a series of attacks recently reported by the NRF in Kabul and other major cities. The armed resistance group claims it conducted three attacks on the Taliban in Kabul over the past 24 hours.
The NRF and the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF), composed mainly of former ANDSF members following the Taliban’s return to power, have engaged in deadly battles with the Taliban across many provinces of the country and have recently intensified their attacks in Kabul.
In its annual report released in March, the NRF claimed that over the past year, it conducted at least 150 targeted attacks against the Taliban across 17 provinces, resulting in more than 400 Taliban casualties.
In a recent interview with CNN, the founder and leader of the NRF, Ahmad Massoud, claimed that his group has around 5,000 active fighters and is not only battling the Taliban but also 20 other terrorist groups in Afghanistan.
“Our fight isn’t just for Afghanistan; it’s for global security. Any nation that perceives terrorism as a threat must recognize the strategic necessity of supporting our cause and efforts,” Massoud said.
The Taliban, however, continue to downplay the impact of these armed resistance groups, claiming that they do not pose a threat to the regime. Similarly, the Taliban rejects reports regarding the presence of terrorist groups such as ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and TTP in the country.