5 Haqqani leaders killed as NATO steps up raids against militants in E. Afghanistan

By Farid Behbud

The NATO-led forces stationed in Afghanistan has increased mounting pressure on a militant group affiliated with Taliban -- the Haqqani Network in Afghanistan's eastern provinces and killed at least five leaders in the latest attacks.

The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in a statement released Thursday confirmed the death of the fifth militant who have been killed in an overnight operation in Paktiya province Saturday.

"The International Security Assistance Force confirmed another Haqqani Network senior leader, Hibati, was killed during an overnight operation in Paktiya province Saturday," ISAF said in the statement.

The majority of the search and cleanup operations against the insurgents have been registered in Paktiya and the neighboring Khost province.

Former ISAF statements confirmed Zubair and Qari Amil, both Haqqani Network facilitators responsible for the movement of weapons and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) materials, along with Shabudin and Ibrahim, both Haqqani Network senior leaders in the area who were also killed during the operation on the same day Saturday.

"Hibati was Zubair's deputy, who was the targeted individual in the operation," the statement said.


【1】 【2】