KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – ISKP, the regional affiliate of ISIS, has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing near the Taliban Ministry of Urban Development and Housing in Kabul, saying the attack killed and injured at least 10 people, including Taliban members.
ISKP announced on its media outlet that the attack was carried out by its suicide bomber, Abu Yousif Al Ansari.
Taliban authorities confirmed the explosion, which took place on Thursday morning, but reported a lower death toll. Abdul Mateen Qani, a spokesperson for the Taliban’s Interior Ministry, said one person was killed and three others were wounded. He added that Taliban forces shot the bomber before he could cause further destruction.
This is the second ISKP-claimed attack on Taliban targets this week. On Tuesday, a suicide bomber targeted a bank in Kunduz province where Taliban members had gathered to collect their salaries, causing dozens of casualties, including Taliban members.
Despite Taliban claims of maintaining security and dismantling ISKP, the group has continued to carry out high-profile attacks, including last year’s bombing that killed Khalil Rehman Haqqani, the Taliban’s Minister for Refugees and Repatriation. The group has also targeted ethnic and religious minorities, particularly Shia Hazaras and Sufis, in recent years.
