Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on a Sikh temple in Afghanistan that resulted in the death of one faith member and a Taliban fighter, citing vengeance for insults to the prophet Mohammed.

Earlier this month, a spokeswoman for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu-nationalist party made remarks regarding the relationship between the prophet and his youngest wife, sparking protests in various Muslim countries.

In a message published on its Amaq propaganda website, the Islamic State (IS) stated that Saturday's attack targeted Hindus and Sikhs as well as the "apostates" who supported them as "an act of support for the Messenger of Allah."

IS claimed that one of its militants "penetrated a temple for Hindu and Sikh polytheists in Kabul, after killing its guard, and opened fire on the pagans inside with his machine gun and hand grenades."

In the raid, two people were killed, and at least seven others were injured.

Abdul Nafi Takor, a Ministry of the Interior spokesman, stated that the assailants threw at least one grenade upon entering the shrine, igniting a fire.

The incident occurs after a visit to Kabul by an Indian delegation to discuss the provision of humanitarian aid from India to Afghanistan.

According to reports in Afghan and Indian media, the group discussed with Taliban officials the prospect of reopening the Indian embassy, which had been closed since the Islamists seized power in August last year.

The number of bombings in Afghanistan has decreased since the return of the Taliban to power. Still, several strikes, many of which targeted minority communities, have rocked the country recently, including six attacks claimed by IS.

IS and the Taliban are close rivals with vast ideological differences.

In the 1970s, over half a million Sikhs were living in Afghanistan. Today, there are only about 200.

The majority of people that remain are merchants who sell herbal medications and electronic products imported from India.

Many destitute Sikhs, including women and children, took refuge in the Saturday-attacked complex in recent months.

Over the years, the community has experienced numerous attacks. In March 2020, shooters assaulted another Sikh temple in Kabul in an attack claimed by IS, killing at least 25 people.