Pentagon Confirms Death of ISIS Leader in Afghanistan and Pakistan

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, the Pentagon, has confirmed that Hafiz Saeed Khan, the leader of the Islamic State group, ISIS, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in July. According to Reuters, Omar Zakhilwal, Afghanistan's ambassador to Pakistan, also confirmed to Reuters on Friday that Hafiz Saeed Khan was killed in the airstrike. However, the Pentagon spokesperson stated that the ISIS leader in Afghanistan and Pakistan was killed in a U.S. drone strike on July 26. Reuters reports that if the death of Hafiz Saeed Khan is confirmed, it would be a significant blow to the Islamic State group, which seeks to expand its presence in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This would also mark the second Islamist militant leader in the region to be killed in recent months. In May, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, the leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan. An ISIS suicide attack on a protest demonstration in Kabul a few weeks ago left at least 80 dead. Last year, there were reports of Hafiz Saeed Khan being killed by Afghan security forces, but those reports were not confirmed. Omar Zakhilwal told Reuters: 'I can confirm that Hafiz Saeed Khan, the leader of ISIS in Khorasan (Afghanistan and Pakistan), along with several of his senior commanders and fighters, was killed in a U.S. drone strike on July 26 in the Kot district of Nangarhar province in Afghanistan.' Reuters notes that despite U.S. attacks and the killing of several leaders of Islamist militant groups in Afghanistan, there is no prospect for an end to the 15-year war in the country.