Coalition and Afghan special operations forces killed the newly appointed leader for the al Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan’s forces in Afghanistan during a raid in the northwest several days ago.
The International Security Assistance Force confirmed that it killed Osmani Sahib, who had been appointed to lead the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan’s operations after his predecessor, Makhdum Nusrat, was killed in a raid in the Shirin Tagab district in Faryab province on March 26.
Osmani “was one of multiple IMU members killed in an exchange of fire that resulted from the insurgents’ attempt to attack the combined Afghan and coalition force during the operation,” which took place on April 7 in the Almar district in Faryab. In the press release announcing Nusrat’s death, ISAF described the IMU as “a terrorist organization closely linked to al Qaeda and the Taliban.”
ISAF had initially stated on April 7 that the combined special operations force captured an Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan financier and killed “multiple insurgents.” ISAF said the IMU facilitator “provided funds for attacks against Afghan and Coalition security forces throughout the province [see LWJ report, ISAF captures IMU suicide attack facilitator, financier in raids in Afghan north].
ISAF has stepped up the targeting of the IMU’s leadership cadre over the past month. Coalition and Afghan commandos have targeted top IMU leaders in nine raids in Badakhshan, Faryab, Kunduz, and Takhar provinces since Jan. 29.
ISAF and Afghan forces have killed the IMU’s top commander in Afghanistan three times since April 2011. Nusrat’s predecessor was killed during a raid in Kunduz province in April 2011. He served as “a key conduit between the senior IMU leadership in Pakistan and senior Taliban leadership in Afghanistan,” and aided in suicide, IED, and other attacks by the IMU in the north, according to ISAF. He had been freed from a Pakistani jail in 2010 and immediately returned to lead forces in Afghanistan [see LWJ report, ISAF captures Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan’s top commander for Afghanistan].
The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is a key ally of al Qaeda and the Taliban, and supports operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as plots attacks in Europe. The IMU is known to fight alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan and has integrated into the Taliban’s shadow government in the north [for more information on the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, see LWJ report, IMU cleric urges Pakistanis to continue sheltering jihadis in Waziristan].
9 Comments
1 goes up and 10 fall down. lollllllll
It’s a revolving position…
Well done boys, the IMU is getting hammered thanks to these raids:)
Good job on teaching the Afghans how o play Whack-A-Mullah! Keep up the good work fellas!
IMU could be called the 5th shura of the taliban since taliban cant reach out to the north Afghanistan all the way from porkistan so they hired IMU to run their 5th shura outa Kunduz and cover all north for the taliban and i am so hopeful of Afghan Special Operations Group
Kind of like a good guy version of sheriffs in Mexico. Let’s hope that the overseas version continues and the North American one does not.
The benefits package for this post will have to improve or simply no one will take it on.
This is exactly the sort of news the wider public does read nor see. Pity. The one-sided “all is lost (but illegal anyway) in Aghanistan” mood music of the MSM blots out the achievements of our chaps quietly going about their business knocking off the wife beaters.
More good news today Americans! The European Court of Human Rights (don’t be unkind) has decided the U.S.A. is part of civilisation afterall and some very nasty types hiding behind Blighty’s ancient laws can be booted out to enjoy a view of – Colorado? – from behind bars.
I’m from Texas and currently stationed in the “stan. Would prefer they see Colorado from the vantage point of the end of a rope. But, great work by the SOF.
Marvelolus shooting!!! Their manner of death, whether by missile or bullet, doesn’t matter. That they’re dead does matter.