Top LeT commander Yusuf Afridi shot dead
What's the story
Sheikh Yusuf Afridi, a senior commander of the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was killed by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The incident took place on Sunday when attackers opened fire at close range, leaving Afridi with multiple bullet wounds and no chance to escape. The assailants fled the scene immediately after the attack. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident yet.
Key figure
Afridi closely associated with LeT chief Hafiz Saeed
Afridi was a key figure in the LeT's regional structure and was believed to be closely associated with its chief Hafiz Saeed. He was involved in recruitment and coordination of the outfit's activities in the region. The motive behind his death remains unclear and authorities are yet to identify the attackers. His killing is part of a pattern of similar attacks on high-profile terrorists in Pakistan in recent months.
Rising violence
Surge in targeted killings of terrorists in Pakistan
Last month, Amir Hamza, an LeT co-founder, was shot by unidentified gunmen in Lahore outside a news channel office. He reportedly survived the attack. In March last year, a top LeT terrorist, Abu Qatal, was also killed by unidentified gunmen in Jhelum. In fact, this pattern of high-profile killings can be traced as far back as 2022, when Zahoor Mistry, a JeM terrorist involved in the hijacking of Indian Airlines IC-814 plane, was killed in Karachi by gunmen on motorcycles.