LOC22:43
19:43 GMT
ISLAMABAD, Oct 19 (KUNA) -- The leader of the banned Jamaatul Ahrar (JuA), a split faction of the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Omar Khalid Khurasani was killed among 10 militants in the recent drone strikes by United States in Afghanistan, said reports on Thursday.
JuA spokesperson, Asad Mansoor, told media that Khurasani, who was injured in one of the recent drone strikes in Afghanistan's Paktia province, succumbed to his wounds on Thursday. He confirmed that at least nine close associates of Khurasani were also killed in the strike, adding that a high-level meeting of JuA's consultative council will be convened soon to appoint the outfit's new chief.
The killed commander hailed from Pakistan's northern tribal area and formed his splinter group JuA after the killing of TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud in 2014. The banned outfit claimed several deadly attacks from across the Afghan border in Pakistan targeting military and law enforcement personnel, government buildings, politicians, minority groups and lawyers. (end)
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