Leader of ‘Islamic State’ Group in Afghanistan Killed

U.S. and Afghan officials have confirmed that Abdulhaseeb, leader of the group known as the “Islamic State” in Afghanistan, has been killed during a joint military operation by the two countries.

Abdulhaseeb took command of this extremist group last year following the death of Hafiz Saeed, the former leader of ISIS in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Hafiz Saeed was killed in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan, last summer following a U.S. drone strike. The new ISIS leader was also targeted last month in the same province by a raid involving Afghan and U.S. special forces.

In a joint statement by U.S. and Afghan armed forces, it was stated that 50 U.S. special forces and 40 Afghan commandos attacked the location where Abdulhaseeb was present.

Part of the statement read: “Minutes after landing, the joint forces came under heavy fire from well-fortified positions from multiple directions… In any case, our forces succeeded in encircling the enemy and eliminating several senior ISIS members and up to 35 members of the group.”

Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, President of Afghanistan, also confirmed the killing of Abdulhaseeb.

U.S. forces have been engaged in combat operations against members and operatives of the group known as the Islamic State in the Nangarhar region for some time. Nangarhar Province has become a major center for ISIS presence and its operations against government forces.

It was in this same province last April that the United States used the world’s largest non-nuclear bomb to strike areas controlled by the “Islamic State.” The strikes killed more than 90 people, with the U.S. stating the operation was in support of Afghan national security forces.

Source: Radio Farda