On 28 August, the Taliban strongly condemned a US airstrike on Afghan soil earlier in the day which targeted members of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahi called the airstrike “a clear attack on Afghan territory,” saying that Washington should have informed the Taliban before taking any sort of retaliatory action against IS members.

In the early morning on Saturday, the Pentagon reported that two “high profile” planners and facilitators of an IS group operating in Afghanistan were killed by a US drone in Nangarhar province.

The Pentagon also confirmed that there was no exchange of information between the US and the Taliban regarding the airstrike, adding that US troops maintain their need to defend themselves until the end of their withdrawal.

The so-called ISIS-Khorasan claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing outside Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International airport on 26 August, which left close to 200 people dead.

For their part, the Taliban has made it clear they are prepared to fight and eradicate any IS offshoot operating in Afghan territory.

They have also said that the announcement of an “inclusive” government will have to wait until all foreign troops withdraw from the war-torn nation on 31 August.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has announced that a number of officials have already been appointed to run key institutions, including the ministries of public health, education and the central bank.