The Taliban administration in Afghanistan claimed that two important Islamic State commanders were killed by its security personnel recently during a counter terrorism operation in Kabul.
According to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, one of the terrorists killed was Qari Fateh, who was known as the intelligence chief and a former minister of war for the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP). The ISKP is a significant Taliban foe and an Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan.
According to Mujahid, Qari Fateh was the ISKP's chief tactician and was in charge of organising a number of operations, including those against the Russian, Pakistani, and Chinese embassies in Kabul.
Ejaz Ahmad Ahangar, a key leader of the ISKP in southern Afghanistan and the so-called first Emir of Islamic State Hind Province (ISHP), as well as two affiliates, were all killed, according to Mujahid.
The Indian government designated Ahangar, also known as Abu Usman Al-Kashmiri, as a terrorist in January of this year. He was sought after in Jammu and Kashmir for more than 20 years for allegedly taking part in terrorist-related activities despite being a Srinagar native.
A security guard and 24 worshippers at the Gurdwara Kart-e Parwan in Kabul were killed in a suicide explosion in March 2020. Afghan intelligence had identified Ahangar as the bomber's planner. He allegedly had connections to Al-Qaeda and other international terrorist organisations.
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