Special operations forces kill IMU leader in Kunduz

ISAF and Afghan special operations continue to target the al Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in northern Afghanistan. Yesterday another IMU leader was killed during a raid, this time in Kunduz province. From the ISAF press release:

Afghan and coalition troops conducted an operation in search of an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader in Rustaq district, Takhar province, today.

The leader directed attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces.

During the operation, the combined security force moved into position to conduct a callout for his surrender at the suspected location when the combined force came under fire. Assessing the immediate threat, the security force returned fire killing the leader and one other insurgent.

The security force detained several additional suspected insurgents and seized multiple weapons and grenades as a result of the operation.

ISAF has stepped up its targeting of the IMU’s leadership cadre over the past several months. Coalition and Afghan commandos have targeted top IMU leaders in 12 raids in Badakhshan, Faryab, Kunduz, and Takhar provinces since Jan. 29. During those raids, the special operations forces have killed the IMU’s past two commanders for Afghanistan, killed a senior facilitator, and captured another.

See LWJ report, IMU facilitator killed during night raid in Afghan north, for more information on the latest raids against the terror group. For more information on the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, see LWJ report, IMU cleric urges Pakistanis to continue sheltering jihadis in Waziristan.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

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1 Comment

  • Devin Leonard says:

    Man, our boys and Afghan allies are hammering the hell out of the IMU…my little heart is just full of joy:)

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