Pentagon confirms killing of Daesh leader Hafiz Saeed

WASHINGTON (Pajhwok): In a major blow to the Islamic State group in Afghanistan, a US airstrike has killed its leader Hafiz Sayed Khan, the Pentagon announced on Friday.

Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Gordon Trowbridge said the US and Afghan Special Operations Forces conducted operations against ISIL in eastern Nangarhar province between July 1 and 30.

“During this time, US forces conducted an airstrike targeting Hafiz Sayed Khan, the Islamic State in the Levant-Khorasan emir, in Achin district on July 26, resulting in his death,” Trowbridge said.

Khan was known to directly participate in attacks against US and coalition forces, and the actions of his network terrorised Afghans, especially in Nangarhar, a hotbed for ISIL-Khorasan activity since the summer of 2015. 

ISIL-K uses the area to train, equip, disseminate and control fighter pipelines, providing its commanders throughout Afghanistan with a continuous supply of enemy fighters from this province.

“Khan's death affects ISIL-K recruiting efforts and will disrupt ISIL-K's operations in Afghanistan and the region,” he said.

On August 9, a source in the Islamic State confirmed to Pajhwok Afghan News the killing of Hafiz Saeed, the group’s leader for Khorasan region, in Nangarhar.

According to the source, Saeed was killed in a US drone strike five days back in Mamond Aw Peshi locality. Last week, security officials claimed Saeed was among 30 rebels killed in Achin district.

Lt. Col. Mohammad Zaman Wazir, 201^st Selab Military Crops commander, told reporters that 30 Daesh militants, including Hafiz Saeed, had been killed.

Saeed originally hailed from the Orakzai tribal region of Pakistan and was a member of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He joined the IS after its emergence in eastern Afghanistan. Saeed was promoted as the group’s leader for Khorasan region.

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