Senior Taliban official killed in attack on Kabul military hospital

Published on : 11/03/2021 – 07:48

The head of the Taliban military forces in Kabul, Hamdullah Mokhlis, was among the victims of the attack carried out on Tuesday by the Islamic State group on the military hospital in the capital of Afghanistan.

“When we received the information that the hospital (…) was under attack, Maulvi Hamdullah (Mokhlis), the commander of the (military) corps in Kabul, immediately rushed to the scene,” said Wednesday 3 October an official of the Taliban communications service.

“We tried to stop him, but he laughed. Later, we learned that he had died in the clashes at the hospital,” the source added.

A member of the Haqqani network, described as terrorist by the United States, as well as Taliban special forces known as Badri 313, Commander Mokhlis is the highest Taliban official killed since the capture of Kabul in mid-August.

Claim of the Islamic State group

At least 19 people were killed and 50 injured on Tuesday in an attack on Sardar Mohammad Dawood Khan Hospital, the country’s largest military hospital, claimed by the Afghan branch (IS-K) of the Islamic State group.

IS-K, a rival Taliban group, claimed to have carried out a coordinated attack involving five attackers. One activated an explosive belt at the entrance to the hospital, then armed men entered the establishment.

The Taliban assured to have put an end to the attack in 15 minutes after having in particular helicoptered “special forces” on the roof of the building.

Witnesses described scenes of terror to AFP, as staff and patients tried to lock themselves in rooms on the upper floors to escape the attackers.

Wave of attacks

Since coming to power on August 15, the Taliban, who have made the return to security in Afghanistan their priority after 20 years of war, have faced a wave of bloody attacks by ISIS.

The last attack in the Afghan capital dates back to October 3. At least five people were killed in an explosion near the Id Gah mosque in Kabul, in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. Other attacks have since taken place, targeting the Taliban police in particular.

IS-K has targeted both the Taliban and the Afghan Shiite minority in recent weeks.

With AFP