https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1248231/isis-k-leader-killed-in-afghanistan/source/GovDelivery/I was glad to learn that Abu Sayed, the head of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorasan were killed in strike on the group's headquarters in Kunar province, Afghanistan. The DoD news message being released indicates that the bodies have been positively identified.'
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2017 — U.S. forces killed Abu Sayed, the head of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorasan, in a strike on the group's headquarters in Kunar province, Afghanistan, July 11, Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Dana W. White said today in a statement.
"The raid also killed other ISIS-K members and will significantly disrupt the terror group's plans to expand its presence in Afghanistan," she said.
ISIS leaders chose Abu Sayed to lead the group, which is an affiliate of ISIS, after Afghan and U.S. forces killed the previous ISIS-K leaders - Hafiz Sayed Khan in late July 2016, and Abdul Hasib, in late April this year, White said.
Afghan and U.S. forces launched a counter-ISIS-K offensive in early March to drive fighters from Nangarhar province, which borders Kunar to the south, and send a clear message to ISIS that there is no sanctuary for their fighters in Afghanistan, she said."
From independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/isis-afghanistan-emir-abu-sayed-killed-pentagon-us-air-strike-a7842186.html
The leader of Isis’ Afghanistan branch has been killed by a US air strike, according to the Pentagon, as the destruction of the jihadists continues across the Middle East and Asia.
Abu Sayed was killed in an air strike at the group's headquarters in Kunar province earlier this week, Pentagon spokeswomen Dana White said in a statement.
Tuesday's raid also killed other members of Isis and would "significantly disrupt the terror group's plans to expand its presence in Afghanistan", the statement added.
Sayed was the “emir” of ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K), the terror group’s affiliate in Afghanistan, which has been active since 2015, fighting against the Taliban as well as Afghan and US forces.
His reported death makes him the third Isis leader in Afghanistan to be killed by allied forces in the past twelve months.
“ISIS leaders chose Abu Sayed to lead the group after Afghan and US forces killed the previous Isis-K leaders - Hafiz Sayed Khan in late July 2016, and Abdul Hasib, in late April of this year,” the Pentagon statement said.
April's raid also resulted in the deaths of several other high ranking Isis leaders and 35 of their fighters. Two American soldiers were also killed, possibly through so-called "friendly fire", officials said at the time.
The announcement of the latest death comes as the fight against Isis and other terrorist groups is being ramped up by the US, with its military reportedly preparing to send an additional 4,000 troops to the region.
General John Nicholson, the commander of US and NATO troops in Afghanistan, has pledged to drive the terror group out of Afghanistan by the end of this year.