A senior member of the Haqqani network who provided “material support” for Tuesday’s attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul was killed Wednesday in southeast Afghanistan, according to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force. The ISAF says Ismail Jan and several other Haqqani militants died in a “precision airstrike” in the Gardez district of Paktiya province.
The Haqqani network has close ties to al Qaeda and the Taliban. Although the Taliban claimed full responsibility for the 7 hour siege on the Intercontinental Hotel, NATO and Afghan government officials believe the attack was a joint effort between the Taliban and the Haqqani network. The attack left 2 policemen, 11 civilians and all 8 attackers dead.
Jan was the deputy to Haqqani leader Mawlawi Jalaluddin Haqqani. The group, which is based in Pakistan’s tribal region of Waziristan, is believed to be responsible for many attacks on NATO and Afghan government forces.
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