KABUL – Afghan security forces reportedly killed Pakistani militant Qari Saifullah Akhtar, a former al-Qaeda militant and founder of the banned Harkat-ul-Jihad-Al Islami group, Geo News reported Tuesday (January 10).
Saifullah was killed in the Birmil area, Paktika Province, in combat, sources said.
Saifullah was a close associate of the late Afghan Taliban supreme commander Mullah Mohammad Omar and of the late al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.
In the first decade of the 21st century, Pakistani authorities accused him of participating in various plots to assassinate Pakistani leaders.
