Sheikh Yusuf Afridi, a commander of the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Initial reports indicate that the attackers fired multiple rounds at Afridi, leaving him no chance to escape. Afridi was known as a close associate of the group’s chief, Hafiz Saeed.

Local sources said Afridi played a key role in directing the organization’s operations in the region. Investigators are treating the incident as a targeted killing. The attack follows a series of similar incidents involving members of militant groups in Pakistan.

Last month, Lashkar-e-Taiba founding member Amir Hamza survived an armed attack in Lahore, while Muhammad Tahir Anwar, brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Masood Azhar, recently died under mysterious circumstances. In March of the previous year, senior Lashkar-e-Taiba member Abu Katal was also shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Jhelum, Pakistan.