Kabul: Taliban have launched an operation to root out Islamic State (IS) from Afghanistan.

The Taliban will crackdown on the local branch of the IS in the Kabul capital region and neighbouring Nangarhar on the border with Pakistan to the east, Sputnik reported citing the Afghan Khaama Press news agency.

The operation follows two weeks of bloodshed in Nangarhar's main city of Jalalabad. At least three gun and bomb attacks on Taliban positions left several fighters and civilians dead.

The Taliban swept to power in mid-August amid a chaotic pull out of foreign troops but clashed with the IS, which has been operating from Nangarhar for years.

The IS claimed an attack on Kabul airport on August 26, which killed more than 100, including 13 US personnel.