Taliban blame Pakistan after ‘capture of key IS fighters’

KABUL: Taliban authorities captured “key members” of the Islamic State group responsible for recent deadly attacks across Afghanistan, a spokesman said on Monday, blaming Pakistan for harbouring the organisation.

Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said “special forces” apprehended “key members of the insurgent group” which claimed a Kabul suicide bombing that killed six people this month.He alleged the suicide attacker “infiltrated Afghanistan” from a training camp in Pakistan, while others arrested in a series of raids had also “recently returned” from there.

Mujahid claimed the crackdown has evicted the Sunni jihadist group from Afghanistan but they “have established new operational bases and training camps” in Pakistan.“From these new bases, they continue to orchestrate attacks, both within Afghanistan and in other countries,” he said.

The comments are likely to further fray relations between Kabul and Islamabad, which have suffered since the Afghan Taliban´s return.Islamabad blames Afghanistan for rising attacks on its territory, saying that the Taliban government is failing to put down insurgents from the Pakistani Taliban based there.Pakistan´s foreign ministry did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Mujahid´s statement.