US offers $10 mn reward for info on IS-K leader

Washington, Feb 8: The US State Department's Rewards for Justice programme has announced a $10 million reward for information on the whereabouts of Sanaullah Ghafari, leader of the Islamic State's Khorasan unit (IS-K) who masterminded the 2021 Kabul airport bombing that killed 183 people including 13 American personnel.

In a statement on Monday, the Department said that Ghafari, also known as Shahab al-Muhajir, was appointed in June 2020 by the IS' core leadership to be the leader of IS-K, a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. "An IS communique announcing his appointment described al-Muhajir as an experienced military leader and one of IS-K's 'urban lions' in Kabul who has been involved in guerrilla operations and the planning of suicide and complex attacks.

"Born in 1994 in Afghanistan, he is responsible for approving all IS-K operations throughout Afghanistan and arranging funding to conduct operations," the Department added. The attack, claimed bu the IS-K, took place on August 26, 2021 at the Kabul airport's Abbey Gate as US service members worked to evacuate American citizens and Afghans following the fall of the country to the Taliban.

The victims comprised 170 Afghan civilians and among the American personnel were 11 Marines, a soldier and a sailor. Forty-five others were also injured. The reward announcement comes after the Department of Defense (DoD) on February 3 said that the attack was carried out by using a single explosive device.