The attack on Saturday, October 24 in an educational center in Kabul left 24 people dead, Afghan authorities said.

A suicide bomber blew himself up in the alley leading to this central western part of the capital, when he had been spotted by guards.

The attack had been claimed by the Islamic State organization (OEI) on its social media accounts.

Western Kabul is predominantly populated by Hazaras, an almost uniquely Shiite ethnic group, regularly targeted by ISIS. 

In mid-May, armed men caused carnage in a maternity hospital in the area, killing 18 people, including mothers ready to give birth and nurses.

The assault had not been claimed.

Al-Qaida leader killed

On Saturday, the National Security Directorate (NDS, the Afghan intelligence services) also announced on Twitter the death of Abu Muhsin al-Masri, an Egyptian considered to be the number two al-Qaeda in the subcontinent. Indian.

Breaking news: as a result of NDS special force unit operation in ghazni province an al-Qaida key member for Indian sub contanint, Abu Muhsen Almisry were killed pic.twitter.com/4fmWzA5T4e

- NDS Afghanistan (@NDSAfghanistan) October 24, 2020

"Al-Masri was killed in an NDS operation in the Andar district of eastern Ghazni province," an NDS member told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"One of his assistants who is in contact with the Taliban was arrested," he continued.

Al-Masri's name was on the US FBI's list of most wanted terrorists.

An arrest warrant in his name was issued by the United States in December 2018 after his indictment for providing support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization and for conspiring to kill American citizens, according to the FBI.

Negotiations with the Taliban

The operation against Al-Masri comes as peace talks are underway in Qatar between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

These negotiations were organized after an agreement reached last February between the Taliban and the United States, within the framework of which the Afghan Islamist militiamen pledged not to allow foreign extremists to be present in the territory of the. Afghanistan.

The fact that the Taliban, when they ruled Afghanistan, hosted Al-Qaeda in Afghan territory was the reason for the intervention of an international coalition led by the United States after the attacks of September 11, 2001 .

The Taliban, however, violently opposed the Islamic State group in eastern Afghanistan, which ISIS had made its main sanctuary, and where this extremist group was defeated, according to the Afghan government.

With AFP

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