Blast in eastern Afghanistan kills top Pakistani militant, Afghan officials say

KABUL/PESHAWAR: A top Pakistani militant, Mangal Bagh, was killed in an explosion in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province on Thursday, Afghan officials said.
Bagh, 47, was one of the founders of Lashkar-e-Islam, a group that for over a decade remained involved in militant attacks and drug trafficking in Khyber district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan.
For a short period, he was also affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban.
"The leader of Lashkar-e-Islam terrorist group, Mangal Bagh along with his two friends were killed in a mine placed from their side in Achin district ... today before lunch," Nangarhar governor Ziaulhaq Amarkhail said in a tweet.
"Mangal Bagh was involved in a series of terroristic activities in the region," he added.
Another official from the province told Arab News on condition of anonymity that the landmine that killed Bagh and his associates in Achin district of Nangarhar, where they were hiding, was planted by the militants themselves to prevent capture by security forces.
"They were walking when they run over the mine which they had placed for their own protection in order to block attack for their capture," he said.
The source also said that Bagh had been involved in sectarian killings in the Khyber area and his fighters had also attacked convoys carrying US supplies in the past years.
The US in 2018 placed a bounty of $5 million on Bagh’s head.
Malik Riaz Bangash, a Pakistani security analyst based in Peshawar, told Arab News that Bagh's death would be a setback for his criminal outfit and a big news for Pakistan.
"Mangal Bagh death, if confirmed, will be a big news for many because he had his role in different terror activities, including the Army Public School (APS) attack," Bangash said.
"I don't think the terror group will be able to find his replacement amongst its cadres because he was the only person known for his terror tactics."