Sanaullah Ghafari, commonly referred to as Shahab al-Muhajir, specially designated global terrorist, has met his demise in Afghanistan’s Kunar, said authorities on Friday. The death of this high-profile figure marks a major victory in the fight against terrorism, as Ghafari was not only wanted in Pakistan but also internationally. Sanaullah Ghafari’s family had migrated from India to Afghanistan, where he received his religious education at the renowned Ghaffari Madrasa.

Although specific details about his early life remain scarce, it is believed that his radicalization took place during his formative years in the madrasa. The terrorist was involved in numerous attacks in Iran, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. By April 2020, Ghafari had assumed the leadership of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), a branch of the Islamic State operating in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. Under his command, the group carried out several deadly attacks, inflicting immense suffering on innocent civilians and security forces alike.

In December 2021, he was designated as a global terrorist by the United Nations and the European Union. Furthermore, the United Nations, the United States, and the European Union offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the location or identification of the leader of the Afghanistan affiliate of ISIL (ISIS). Ghafari was rumored to have been an al-Qaeda commander or a former member of the Haqqani network – one of the most powerful and feared factions in the Taliban. He orchestrated and led multiple attacks in Pakistan and various other locations worldwide. Among his notable attacks were the assault on the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul and the suicide bombing at Imam Bargah in Qissa Khwani Bazar, Peshawar.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP