Draft:Hafiz Saeed Khan
| Name | Hafiz Saeed Khan |
|---|---|
| Birth Year | 1972 AD |
| Death Year | 2016 AD |
| Place of Birth | Orakzai Pakistan |
Hafiz Saeed Khan (September 1972 – 26 July 2016) was one of the former members of Taliban who after ISIS came to power, continued his activity as the head of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Khorasan Province. Hafiz Saeed Khan, the leader of the ISIS group in Afghanistan, was killed in Achin District, Nangarhar Province[1].
Education
He was born in 1972 in the Orakzai region of Pakistan. His preliminary education was conducted in one of the schools in that region, under the supervision of Salafi clerics. Some credible sources have stated his higher education was at the Pakistan University. With the rise of the Pakistani Taliban movement, he approached this group and after completing training courses, joined one of the military branches of the Pakistani Taliban[2].
Travel to Afghanistan
Hafiz Saeed Khan, after the September 11 attacks, with the aim of defending the Afghan Taliban, headed to this country. During his stay in Afghanistan, various events caused him to grow close to Baitullah Mehsud, the then-leader of the Pakistani Taliban. After a few months, he took leadership of the Taliban in the Orakzai section of Pakistan and remained there for years.
Separation from the Taliban
After the death of Baitullah Mehsud by air strikes, local tribal leaders were looking for a new successor. Hafiz Saeed Khan, who was one of the three main options, failed after months of effort, and this reason caused his disillusionment with the Afghan Taliban. Conflicts with senior Taliban officials were one of the important factors in Hafiz Saeed Khan leaving this group. Along with 5 of his associates, on October 15, 2014, in a video message, he announced his and his associates' separation from this group and pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS.
Leadership of ISIS Khorasan
Efforts were made by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, to establish a local group in the Khorasan region. Hafiz Saeed Khan was the first option for leading this newly established group. This region includes a large part of northeastern Iran, northwestern Afghanistan, and parts of western Pakistan. Hafiz Saeed Khan, with his extensive connections, managed to gather a large number of separated members of the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban around himself. Carrying out various operations is considered among his military achievements.
Death
The first news of his death was published by Afghan officials. Officials of this country announced that Hafiz Saeed Khan was killed by an intelligence agent of the United States. But the US Government did not confirm this news. Finally, on August 12, 2016, the United States announced that the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant - Khorasan Province was killed by unmanned fighter jets[3][4].