Daesh claims Kabul mosque attack, as Taliban say destroyed sleeper cell

The Daesh group on Monday claimed responsibility for a deadly attack near a Kabul mosque, hours after the Taliban said they had destroyed an Daesh sleeper cell in the Afghan capital.

Through its propaganda arm, the group said Sunday’s attack that killed at least five people was carried out by a Daesh suicide bomber.

Before the claim, the Taliban’s chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP initial information suggested Daesh-linked groups were responsible.

After overrunning Kabul seven weeks ago the Taliban have set up an interim Afghan government, but still face attacks from the Daesh regional branch.

Mujahid said Taliban fighters carried out an operation targeting an Daesh cell in the north of Kabul on Sunday evening.

The “Daesh centre was completely destroyed and all the Daesh members in it were killed,” Mujahid said on Twitter.

Witnesses and AFP journalists heard blasts and gunfire in the capital at the time of the raid, and images posted to social media showed a large explosion and a fire at the scene.

Kabul resident and government employee Abdul Rahaman told AFP that a “large number” of Taliban special forces attacked at least three houses in his neighbourhood.

“The fighting continued for several hours,” he said, adding the sound of weapons kept him awake all night.

“They said they were after Daesh fighters in the area,” Rahman said.

“I don’t know how many were killed or arrested but the fighting was intense.”