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."
Blast in eastern Afghanistan kills top Pakistani militant, Afghan officials say
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Blast in eastern Afghanistan kills top Pakistani militant, Afghan officials say
- Mangal Bagh was one of the founders of Lashkar-e-Islam, a group involved in militant attacks and drug trafficking in northwestern Pakistan
- Landmine that killed Bagh and his associates was reportedly planted by the militants themselves to prevent capture by security forces
Pakistan opposition rallies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to demand release of Imran Khan
- PTI-led gathering calls the former PM a national hero and demands the release of all political prisoners
- Government says the opposition failed to draw a large crowd and accuses PTI of damaging its own politics
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s opposition led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party demanded the release of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan at a rally in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday, describing him as a national hero who continues to command public support.
The gathering came days after a rare and strongly worded briefing by the military’s media chief, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, who dismissed Khan as “narcissistic” and “mentally ill” on Friday while responding to the former premier’s allegations that Pakistan’s chief of defense forces was responsible for undermining the constitution and rule of law.
He said that Khan was promoting an anti-state narrative which had become a national security threat.
The participants of the rally called for “civilian supremacy” and said elected representatives should be treated with respect.
“We, the people of Pakistan, regard Imran Khan as a national hero and the country’s genuinely elected prime minister, chosen by the public in the February 8, 2024 vote,” said a resolution presented at the rally in Peshawar. “We categorically reject and strongly condemn the notion that he or his colleagues pose any kind of threat to national security.”
“We demand immediate justice for Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi and all political prisoners, and call for their prompt release,” it added, referring to Khan’s wife who is also in prison. “No restrictions should be placed on Imran Khan’s meetings with his family, lawyers or political associates.”
Addressing the gathering, Sohail Afridi, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, denied his administration was not serious about security issues amid increased militant activity. However, he maintained the people of his province had endured the worst of Pakistan’s conflict with militancy and urged a rethinking of long-running security policies.
The resolution asked the federal government to restore bilateral trade and diplomatic channels with Afghanistan, saying improved cross-border ties were essential for the economic stability of the region.
The trade between the two neighbors has suffered as Pakistan accuses the Taliban administration in Kabul of sheltering and facilitating armed groups that it says launch cross-border attacks to target its civilians and security forces. Afghan officials deny the claim.
The two countries have also had deadly border clashes in recent months that have killed dozens of people on both sides.
Some participants of the rally emphasized the restoration of democratic freedoms, judicial independence and space for political reconciliation, calling them necessary to stabilize the country after years of political confrontation.
Reacting to the opposition rally, Information Minister Attaullah Tarrar said the PTI and its allies could not gather enough people.
“In trying to build an anti-army narrative, they have ruined their own politics,” he said, adding that the rally’s reaction to the military’s media chief’s statement reflected “how deeply it had stung.”
“There was neither any argument nor any real response,” he added, referring to what was said by the participants of the rally.
