KABUL: Taliban authorities captured “key members” of the Daesh (Islamic State) group responsible for recent deadly attacks across Afghanistan, a spokesman said on Monday, blaming neighboring Pakistan for harboring the organization.
Security has generally improved since the Taliban surged back to power after winning their insurgency in 2021, however the regional chapter of the group, known as Daesh Khorasan, has emerged as the main challenge to their rule.
A sweeping security crackdown broadly quashed the number of domestic attacks but there was a string of shootings and bombings by Daesh Khorasan this summer.
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 said 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 said the crackdown has evicted the militant 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, claiming 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.
Pakistan, China, Iran and Russia issued a statement last week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly which “expressed deep concern over the terrorism-related security situation in Afghanistan.”
It named several groups, including Daesh, which it said were “based in Afghanistan” and “continue to pose a serious threat to regional and global security.”
Daesh Khorasan was founded in 2015 and came to prominence with a bombing during America’s chaotic evacuation from Kabul airport in August 2021 that killed some 170 Afghans and 13 US troops.
Analysts say the group is pivoting to more international attacks, including the killing of more than 140 people at a Moscow concert hall and more than 90 in twin bombings in Iran.
Recruitment among Central Asian nations on Afghanistan’s northern border is also said to be spiking. Mujahid said a Tajik national was among those arrested in the raids.
Daesh Khorasan also claimed an attack in central Bamiyan in May that killed three Spanish tourists and three Afghans, and two attacks this month that killed a total of 20 people.

KARACHI: Pakistan captain Shan Masood on Monday backed Babar Azam to find his batting touch as his side look to end their win drought in the three-match Test series against England starting next week.
Pakistan have gone winless in 10 home Tests since February 2021, the latest humiliation being swept 2-0 by Bangladesh earlier this month.
They also lost 3-0 in Australia earlier this year.
“It’s not acceptable for Pakistan to not win a home Test for that long and we accept the responsibility for that,” said Masood at a press conference in Karachi.
“As a cricketing nation we all are hurt right now.”
Masood was confident that batting great Azam would soon be back to his best after managing just 64 runs in the two Bangladesh Tests.
“We all know Babar is one of the top batters in the world and despite not scoring big runs the good thing is that he is not out of form, we have to back him,” said Masood.
Azam has not passed fifty in Tests in 16 innings dating back to December 2022.
England arrive in Pakistan on October 2 with the first Test starting in Multan five days later.
The second Test is also in Multan from October 15 while the final match is in Rawalpindi from October 24.
“I assure you that everyone is eager to stage a comeback in this series and take Pakistan cricket in a good direction,” said Masood.
England swept the series 3-0 when they last visited Pakistan in 2022.
“For me, pressure is a thing of privilege because leading your country is a great honor but with it comes responsibility,” said Masood, whose captaincy tenure runs until May 2025.
“If results are good then I will serve, if not then I will be punished. I don’t run away from challenges and this coming series is also very challenging.”