- Associate of Hafiz Saeed, LeT member, shot dead.
- Unidentified gunmen killed him in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
- Investigation launched into the killing of influential LeT figure.
- Attack follows recent targeting of another LeT founder.
Sheikh Yusuf Afridi, a close associate of Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed and an alleged member of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said.
The incident occurred on Sunday in Landi Kotal in the Khyber region, located about 250 kilometres from Islamabad.
According to a police source, armed assailants opened fire on Afridi, killing him at the scene. “Unidentified attackers opened indiscriminate fire on Afridi,” the source said, adding that no group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
Probe Underway
Authorities have launched an investigation to trace those behind the killing.
A police official said, “This incident has caused widespread outrage in the area and local authorities have launched an investigation to apprehend those responsible for his murder.”
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Afridi was described as an influential figure within the regional structure of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba and was allegedly involved in recruitment and coordination activities linked to the group in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Who Was Sheikh Yusuf Afridi?
An official associated with Jamaat-ud-Dawa, an organisation linked to Saeed, described Afridi as “a prominent religious scholar” from the Zakhkhel tribe and said he was regarded as a key figure in promoting Ahle Hadith (Salafi) ideology.
The official added, “Unidentified attackers opened fire on him and fled the scene.” He also suggested that extremist factions were facing “tough intellectual and practical challenges from Salafi scholars.”
Recent Attacks On LeT Figures
The killing comes days after another incident targeting a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba figure. Amir Hamza, one of the group’s founders, was reportedly attacked and shot in Lahore last week.
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Hamza, considered among the top leaders of the organisation after Saeed, has been lodged in Kot Lakhpat Jail since 2019 following his conviction in terror financing cases.
The latest attack highlights ongoing security challenges in Pakistan’s northwestern regions, where militant groups and rival factions have remained active.
Officials have not yet indicated whether the killing was linked to internal rivalries, militant activity, or other motives, as investigations continue.
