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Afghanistan drone strike 'kills IS commander Abdul Rauf' | Afghanistan drone strike 'kills IS commander Abdul Rauf' |
(35 minutes later) | |
A drone strike in Afghanistan has killed a militant commander who recently swore allegiance to Islamic State (IS), officials say. | A drone strike in Afghanistan has killed a militant commander who recently swore allegiance to Islamic State (IS), officials say. |
The police chief of Helmand said that former Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Rauf had died in the strike. | The police chief of Helmand said that former Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Rauf had died in the strike. |
It emerged last month that Rauf had sworn allegiance to IS after falling out with the Taliban. | It emerged last month that Rauf had sworn allegiance to IS after falling out with the Taliban. |
Tribal elders in northern Helmand say a car carrying up to six people was destroyed while crossing the desert. | |
The car was loaded with ammunition and exploded, reports said. | The car was loaded with ammunition and exploded, reports said. |
The Afghan Intelligence Agency also said Rauf had been killed. However, his death has not yet been confirmed by Nato sources. | |
Recruiting in Helmand | |
The militant commander's brother-in-law and four Pakistanis were also killed in the attack, Helmand police chief Nabi Jan Mullahkhel was quoted by Reuters as saying. | The militant commander's brother-in-law and four Pakistanis were also killed in the attack, Helmand police chief Nabi Jan Mullahkhel was quoted by Reuters as saying. |
Rauf, who spent six years in Guantanamo Bay after being captured by US forces in 2001, was reported to have fallen out with the leader of the Taliban, Mullah Omar. | Rauf, who spent six years in Guantanamo Bay after being captured by US forces in 2001, was reported to have fallen out with the leader of the Taliban, Mullah Omar. |
He swapped the white flags of the Taliban for the black flags of IS and recruited followers in Helmand. | He swapped the white flags of the Taliban for the black flags of IS and recruited followers in Helmand. |
Rauf was then named as deputy leader of IS in "Khorasan" - an old name for Afghanistan - by the organisation in Syria. | Rauf was then named as deputy leader of IS in "Khorasan" - an old name for Afghanistan - by the organisation in Syria. |
The most senior IS commander for the region is Saeed Khan, who is based in Orakzai tribal agency in Pakistan. | |
Islamic State controls swathes of Syria and Iraq and has a small but growing presence in parts of Afghanistan. | |
Correspondents say it poses the first serious challenge to the coherence of the Taliban leadership for many years. |