Taliban security forces killed two militants from the Islamic State group and detained a third in an overnight raid in the Afghan capital of Kabul, the spokesman for the Taliban government said Monday. The regional affiliate of the Islamic State group — known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province — is a key rival of the Taliban. The militant group has increased its attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover of the country in August 2021. Targets have included Taliban patrols and members of Afghanistan’s Shiite minority.

According to Zabihullah Mujahid, the main Taliban government spokesman in Kabul, the operation took place in a residential neighbourhood, targeting IS militants who were planning to organise attacks in the Afghan capital. He said the Kher Khana neighbourhood is an important IS hideout. There was no immediate comment from the IS.

Mujahid said two IS members were killed and one was arrested, and ammunition and military equipment were seized in the raid. There were no casualties among the Taliban forces during in the operation, he added.

In a separate operation this month, Taliban intelligence forces killed three IS militants and arrested one in an overnight operation in eastern part of Kabul, in Karti Naw neighbourhood. The Taliban had claimed that IS was behind organised recent attacks in the capital.

Overnight, posts on on social media reported several explosions and small-arms fire in the area of Kher Khana.

The Taliban swept across the country in mid-August 2021, seizing power as US and NATO forces were in the last weeks of their final withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war.