Top LeT Operative Shot Dead by Unidentified Gunmen in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Apr 27: Sheikh Yousuf Afridi, a commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in what investigators suspect to be a targeted killing.

According to initial reports, the attackers opened multiple rounds of fire on Afridi, a close associate of LeT chief Hafiz Saeed, leaving him no chance to escape. He was considered a key operative of the US-designated terror group in the region.

Officials said the killing is being treated as part of a growing pattern of targeted attacks on high-profile terrorists in Pakistan.

Last month, LeT founding member Amir Hamza survived an assassination attempt by an unidentified gunman outside a TV station in Lahore.

Earlier, Muhammad Tahir Anwar, elder brother of Masood Azhar, died under mysterious circumstances. Anwar was actively involved in the operations of Jaish-e-Mohammed.

In March last year, another senior LeT operative, Abu Qatal, was killed by unknown gunmen in Jhelum. He was a close aide of Hafiz Saeed and is believed to have masterminded the 2024 Reasi attack in Jammu and Kashmir that left nine dead and 33 injured.

Authorities noted that such killings have increased since 2023, with several terrorists linked to outfits like LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen eliminated by unidentified assailants across cities including Lahore and Karachi. In 2026 alone, at least 30 such operatives have reportedly been targeted. (Agencies)