During that time they enforced a strict interpretation of Islamic law, banning girls from school, women from work and carrying out public executions.

The TTP claimed responsibility for the attack in a Telegram message shared with a Reuters journalist and denied having suffered any losses in the retaliatory fire.

Little is still known about Akhundzada's day-to-day role, with his public profile largely limited to the release of annual messages during Islamic holidays.

ISKP has been recruiting Indians for the past several years and has maintained regular contact with its operatives in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq and Africa, through an Instagram channel named ‘Chronicle Foundation’.

The US embassy in Kabul later released a warning of credible threats at specific areas of the airport, including access gates.

Erdogan on Friday said Turkey had held its first talks with the Taliban in Kabul, adding that Ankara was still assessing the Islamist group's offer for Turkey to run the airport's logistics.

Pakistani support for the Taliban is a double-edged sword. The question is whose worldview will be exported. Will the Taliban borrow Pakistan and China's governance framework, or will they export their own ideology? Or will it embolden jihadi terrorists at home?

He added that 17 border crossings with Afghanistan are open and people with valid documents can travel. Iftikhar said Pakistan always offered help and assistance to Afghanistan, adding that his country even offered assistance to the former Afghan government but it preferred India.

Long a target for militants, Hossaini made his escape from Afghanistan after learning that the Taliban "really hated" a recent story that he and a foreign journalist had covered.

We are consulting with all the regional countries to have a coordinated approach on the issue of not only the recognition but going forward what plans will have to be undertaken.

"It was a failure somewhere," General Frank McKenzie, the head of U.S. Central Command, told reporters hours after the attack

Any sustainable solution in Afghanistan must include Pakistan,” Senator Graham said, calling the region “very complicated” and the period “dangerous”.