Afghan official confirmed yesterday that Afghan security forces have recaptured Tora Bora, once hideout of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden’s hideout in the early 2000s, from Islamic State (IS) militants.
General Tariq Shah Bahrami, acting Afghan defense minister, said Saturday Afghan security forces have recaptured Tora Bora in eastern Nangarhar province, according to the Associated Press.
Bahrami reportedly said at least 22 Islamic State group militants were killed and 10 others were wounded in a clearance operation.
Recall, ISIS-Khorasan, or ISIS-K, the Islamic State terror organization’s force in Afghanistan, seized the network of caves known as Tora Bora from the Taliban June 14. The two militant groups are enemies.
Tora Bora, which is located in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, was Osama bin Laden’s hideout until December 2001, when he narrowly escaped a botched US bombing campaign.
Meanwhile, Bahrami said on June 17 that he welcomes the U.S. government decision to send an additional 4,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan.
According to him, the decision was in consultation with the Afghan government. The mission for the new U.S. troops will be to train and advise Afghan security forces.
