Afghan forces clear Tora Bora of IS militants: Defense Ministry

Kabul [Afghanistan], June 19 (ANI): The Afghan Defense Ministry said Monday that the country's security forces have cleared the strategic Tora Bora area, which was once the hideout of slain al-Qaeda founder Osama Bin Laden. The place was recently claimed by the Islamic State militants to be under their control. Khaama Press quoted ministry spokesman General Dawlat Waziri as saying that the mountainous terrain and its surroundings were cleared during operations conducted over two days ago, adding the forces have inflicted heavy casualties on the IS. Gen. Waziri added that the security forces are still stationed in the area and a search operation is underway for terrorists who fled the area during the operations. This comes as the ISIS offshoot in Afghanistan, ISIS Khurasan, said last week that it has captured Laden's hideout in the remote Tora Bora valley in eastern Nangarhar province. Meanwhile, the Nangarhar provincial government said Afghan forces have started clearance operations towards Alif Khel and Markhanai villages in Pacher Agam district, located close to the Tora Bora area which has been fully cleared. The statement further added that no casualties have been reported among the security forces involved in the operations. (ANI)