Islamabad August 13The Islamic State group’s leader in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Hafiz Saeed, was killed in July in a strike in the border region between the two countries, a USA defence official said today.
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“Saeed was known to directly participate in attacks against USA and coalition forces and the actions of his network terrorized Afghans, especially in Nangarhar”, he added.
The so-called Khorasan Province was created by ISIL, also known as ISIS, in 2015 encompassing areas in Pakistan, Afghanistan and parts of central Asia.
The statement said that Khan had used Nangarhar to “train, equip, disseminate and control” the supply of fighters and that his death would disrupt the branch’s recruiting and operations in the region.
According to Dawn online, the reports have not been confirmed by Pakistani officials. The Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Gordon Trowbridge said the U.S. and Afghan Special Operations Forces conducted operations against the ISIS in southern Nangarhar province between July 1 and 30.
Sources confirmed that the crew members, including a Russian navigator and five Pakistanis, were recovered from Afghanistan on Thursday after Pakistan sought help from the Afghan government for their early recovery.
The death of Hafiz Saeed Khan in eastern Afghanistan was initially revealed by the country’s ambassador to Pakistan.
His death is the latest in a series of high-profile targets killed by the coalition forces as the war on terror goes on.
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He also told Reuters that Saeed’s senior commanders and fighters were killed in the strike.
