Taliban raid IS hideout in Afghanistan's Parwan province, several militants killed

Without giving away exact numbers, Taliban spokesperson has said that a number of Islamic State militants were killed and arrested during a raid at an IS hideout in Charikar city of Parwan province.

Taliban on Friday said that they have killed and arrested several militants of the Islamic State (IS) group during a raid at a hideout north of Afghanistan's capital of Kabul, without giving away exact figures or identities. This comes in the aftermath of an IS-linked suicide bombing outside Kabul international airport late August that targeted evacuation efforts of the United States. The blast, one of the deadliest attacks in years, had killed 169 Afghans and 13 US service members.

A Taliban fighter in Kabul. (Image for representation) (Photo by Hoshang Hashimi / AFP) (AFP)

Speaking to The Associated Press, Taliban spokesman Bilal Karimi said that Friday's raid was conducted in the city of Charikar in Parwan province, located north of Kabul. However, he did not provide more details.

Subsequently, the Taliban arrested two IS members linked to a roadside bombing that targeted their vehicle and wounded four fighters, Karimi said. The arrested militants were interrogated and based on the information the Taliban identified the hideout, he added.

The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has certainly increased the attacks by IS militants on Taliban members, widening the conflict between the long-time rivals.

Although, the Islamic State is dominant in eastern Nangarhar province, the terror group has ramped up attacks across the nation ever since the fall of the Afghanistan government and the Taliban takeover. Taliban fighters have been killed in IS attacks in the provincial capital of Jalalabad, while in response, the ruling group have carried out crackdowns on the IS in Nangarhar.