A senior commander of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) has been shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan’s Karachi, according to Afghan and local media reports.
The commander, identified as Hassan, was described as a trusted figure within ISKP’s leadership and long associated with the group’s networks in Balochistan. He was accused of training suicide bombers and coordinating operations across the region.
Sources said Hassan had relocated to Khuzdar in Balochistan before recently travelling to Karachi, where he was targeted in what was described as a sensitive area of the city.
Afghan outlet Al-Mirsad confirmed the killing, calling it a “significant setback” for ISKP. It said Hassan had been central to the group’s cross-border operations and added that Karachi had become a hub for recruitment, temporary safehouses and intelligence training.
Neither ISKP nor Pakistani officials have issued a statement on the incident.
Kabul has repeatedly accused Islamabad of harbouring ISKP members and providing them with logistical support to destabilise Afghanistan, allegations Pakistan has consistently denied.
The killing follows a series of targeted attacks on ISKP members in Pakistan, widely believed to be part of covert operations allegedly carried out by the Afghan Taliban.