:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/V7KI7P4ECGAODEM4ES5HI4CLTY.jpg)
The Islamic State group has claimed its fighters have captured Osama bin Laden's infamous Tora Bora mountain hideout in eastern Afghanistan.
Islamic State released an audio recording saying its signature black flag is flying over the hulking mountain range.
The message was broadcast on the militants’ Radio Khilafat station in the Pashto language.
It also said Islamic State has taken over several districts and urged villagers who fled the fighting to return to their homes and stay indoors.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YUUTCNOF6M5755UE65MSQOKK4Y.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/NTN2HAAXACRMLFKEZ4MJ6GBGMA.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/CVOBXJIAGN2RT5UUPMNLNYPSQ4.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/G4UVG4J6XPKYY2JAPNPWPIIAGE.jpg)
The Tora Bora mountains hide a warren of caves in which al-Qaeda militants led by bin Laden hid from US coalition forces in 2001 after the Taliban fled Kabul.
Afghan officials said fighting between Islamic State and the Taliban, which controlled Tora Bora, began on Tuesday but could not confirm its capture.