Roadside bomb targets Taliban, kills 2 in Afghanistan IS hub

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KABUL, Afghanistan — A roadside weaponry struck a Taliban patrol successful a stronghold of Islamic State militants successful eastbound Afghanistan connected Wednesday, sidesplitting 2 radical and wounding three, witnesses said.

There was nary contiguous assertion of responsibility, but the onslaught bore the hallmarks of erstwhile IS strikes against the Taliban. The 2 groups are bitter rivals, and IS has stepped up attacks since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan successful August.

Wednesday’s weaponry went disconnected successful the metropolis of Jalalabad, the superior of Nangarhar province.

A Taliban territory commandant successful the metropolis confirmed the blast and said 4 Taliban fighters were wounded. The commander, who identified himself arsenic Mubariz—and similar galore Afghans goes by 1 name—did not supply details astir those killed successful the attack, saying the probe continues.

In caller weeks, Taliban officials person been reluctant oregon dilatory to merchandise details astir Taliban fatalities, successful an evident effort to play down the grade of the harm being inflicted by IS.

The Jalalabad onslaught came a time aft IS attackers acceptable disconnected an detonation astatine the gross of a 400-bed subject infirmary successful the superior of Kabul, sidesplitting 3 women, a kid and 3 Taliban guards said. Five assailants were besides killed successful the attack.

Taliban officials said guards prevented the attackers from entering the hospital.

IS claimed that 1 of those killed successful the infirmary onslaught was a elder Taliban commandant who had played a starring relation successful the group’s Aug. 15 takeover of Kabul. Taliban officials said they could not instantly corroborate the commandant had been killed.

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