Hamdullah Mokhlis, a senior commander with the Taliban forces in Kabul, is one of the 19 dead in the attack carried out by Islamic State on Tuesday on the most significant military hospital in the Afghan capital, the Taliban confirmed on Wednesday.
Mokhlis was a member of the extremist Haqqani network, which the United States describes as a terrorist, and of the Taliban special forces known as Badri 313. He is the most senior Taliban commander killed since that group took power in August in Afghanistan.
At least 19 people were killed and 50 injured in Tuesday’s attack, the Taliban said. Two explosions took place, after which unknown persons also fired shots. The Taliban confirmed that there were explosions at the entrance to the 400-bed hospital, where Taliban fighters and former Afghan security forces are being treated. Footage from just after the explosions shows a plume of smoke over the building.
The hospital in question was also attacked in 2017, at the time by gunmen dressed as medical personnel. At least thirty people were killed.
Since August, the Taliban, who have returned to power in Afghanistan, have been dealing with bloody attacks by a local branch of Islamic State, IS-K. IS-K has also claimed the attack on the military hospital.