Senior LeT leader killed in Kunar airstrikes: Nato

ISAF forces conducted a joint raid with Afghan troops. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

KABUL: Forces of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) claimed killing a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader, Khatab Shafiq in the eastern Afghan province of Kunar.

A release said that Afghan and coalition security force conducted an operation, in Watahpur district, Kunar province, on Friday.  The target of the operation was the LeT leader.  Shafiq was responsible for several attacks against Afghan and coalition forces, and provided money, weapons and training to insurgents in the region, the release claimed.

It added that Shafiq had also established multiple insurgent training camps in eastern Afghanistan, where insurgents learned how to use mortars, rockets and machine guns. Most recently, he was involved with teaching insurgents how to build and plant improvised explosive devices.

Detailing the operation, the release said security forces positively identified Khatab Shafiq among an armed group of insurgents. After determining there were no civilians in the area, an airstrike, away from all civilian structures, was ordered onto the target location.

After the strike, the Afghan and coalition security force conducted a follow-on assessment and confirmed Khatab Shafiq, along with multiple other insurgents, had been killed.  The assessment also confirmed the strike had not harmed any civilians or damaged any civilian property.

Following the initial airstrike, the security force identified several more armed insurgents in the immediate area and engaged them with a second airstrike. A follow-on assessment confirmed the second precision airstrike had killed several insurgents but had not harmed any civilians or damaged any civilian property.