ISIS hideouts targeted in Balkh province: Mujahid

KABUL (Khaama Press): The Islamic Emirate spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said that Taliban security forces targeted ISIS hideouts in the fifth, sixth and eighth areas of Mazar-e-Sharif province, and described it as a substantial strike against insurgents.
Mr. Mujahid on Saturday wrote on Twitter that Taliban security forces launched special operations against the ISIS militants in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital city of Balk province.
The operation continued until late Friday night, as a result several ISIS fighters died and one Islamic Emirate security personnel sustained an injury, Mujahid said.
Additionally, local sources reported a clash between Taliban security forces and anti-government militants in the Dashte Shor area of Mazar-e-Sharif.
With the arrival of spring, ISIS fighters have increased their attack throughout Afghanistan, particularly in northern provinces. Militants of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) claimed responsibility for the attack on the Tabyan Cultural Center, which resulted in the death and injury of scores of journalists in Mazar-e-Sharif.
Prior to the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, ISIS presence was only seen in eastern Nangarhar and Khost provinces.
However, the insurgent group quite rapidly expanded its operation to different parts of Afghanistan over the past 18 months.
According to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), ISIS militants have been behind some brutal attacks in Kabul over the past months, including the attack on the Russian Embassy and a hotel that accommodated Chinese citizens.
Meanwhile, the insurgent group has also launched ruthless attacks on educational institutions and even targeted high-ranking Taliban officials in Kabul.
Given the volatile security situation in Afghanistan, ISIS is the only active militant group in the country posing threats to the ruling regime according to some security and political experts.