World News | ISIS claims responsibility for Afghan airport checkpoint bombing

ISLAMABAD, Jan. 4 (AP) — The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for an explosion near a checkpoint at a military airport in the Afghan capital that killed and injured several people.

IS said in a statement late on Tuesday that Sunday’s attack on the Kabul checkpoint was carried out by the same members involved in an attack on a hotel in the capital in mid-December.

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Since the Taliban took over in 2021, the regional affiliate of the Islamic State group — known in Khorasan province as Islamic State and the Taliban’s main rival — has increased attacks in Afghanistan. Targets included Taliban patrols and members of Afghanistan’s Shia minority.

IS released a photo of the attacker, identifying him as Abdul-Jabbar, saying he safely evacuated the attack on the hotel after running out of ammunition.

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It added that he detonated a vest filled with explosives, targeting soldiers gathered at the checkpoint.

The military airfield is about 200 meters (yards) from the civilian airfield, near the interior ministry, which itself was the site of a suicide bombing last October that killed at least four people.

Abdul Nafi Takor, a spokesman for the Taliban-controlled interior ministry, said “several” people had been killed or injured in the explosion, but he gave no figures or further information. He said details of the investigation would be released at a later date.

Spokesmen for the Kabul police chief Thaker and Khaled Zadran did not respond to requests for further comment on Wednesday.

The checkpoint is on Airport Road, the heavily fortified neighborhood that houses government ministries, foreign embassies and the presidential palace — damaged but intact.

At least seven Islamic State members were killed in a Taliban operation in Kabul on Wednesday, Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. He added that seven IS fighters were captured at their hideout near Shah Dei Salehin.

Another operation in the western Nimruz province resulted in the arrest of two other people, Mujahid said. Local residents in the area reported hearing several explosions and an hour-long gun battle. No other details were immediately available. (Associated Press)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)