E-Paper
5 LeT fighters killed in IED blast in Afghanistan
Five members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group were killed in the premature explosion of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in eastern Afghanistan on Monday.
Five members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group were killed in the premature explosion of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in eastern Afghanistan on Monday.
The incident occurred in Asmar district of Kunar province when a group of 10 LeT fighters were planting roadside bombs to target convoys of security forces, the Afghan defence ministry said in a statement.
Two LeT fighters were also injured, the defence ministry said without giving more details.
The LeT, which has been banned by Pakistan and India, is active in several South Asian countries, including Afghanistan. It was founded by Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, who now heads the Jamaat-ud-Dawah.
After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the JuD was declared a front for the LeT by the UN Security Council.
Though the LeT has not been heavily involved in the Taliban-led campaign against Western troops in Afghanistan, it is believed to operate in Kunar and Nuristan provinces, Khaama Press news agency reported.
The LeT also has close links with militants based in Pakistan’s tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.
Militant groups in Afghanistan have often used IEDs to target security forces and Afghan officials. Many civilians have also been killed or injured in these attacks.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in October that it had documented 8,397 conflict-related civilian casualties (2,562 deaths and 5,835 injured) between January and September this year.
