Fugitive Pakistani militant killed by bomb in Afghanistan

A fugitive militant leader from Pakistan who carried a $3 million U.S. bounty for alleged terrorist activities was killed by a roadside bomb in neighbouring Afghanistan along with two associates, an Afghan official said Friday.

commander, Manghal Bagh, led an outlawed militant group called Lashkar-e-Islam, or Army of Islam. group had frequently targeted Pakistani troops in country's rthwest bordering Afghanistan until mid-2010s when Pakistan cleared region of militants.

Bagh had been on run until his death Thursday in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province, which was anunced by provincial goverr Ziaulhaq Amarkhil in a brief statement on Twitter. Amarkhil did t say who was responsible for roadside bomb that killed Bagh and his two companions but said militant leader had been involved in attacks in Afghanistan.

Washington anunced bounty for Bagh in 2018 over his alleged terrorist activities.

Bagh and his group had a strong presence in rthwest Pakistan's Tirah Valley until military operations cleared mountaius region of militants, including Pakistani Taliban, remnants of al-Qaida and or groups. Since n, it was believed that Bagh was hiding in neighbouring Afghanistan.

rthwest Pakistan still sees sporadic attacks, mainly targeting security forces. Earlier this month, Pakistan’s military said it had nearly completed a fence along border with Afghanistan, which it says is necessary to prevent militant attacks from both sides of 2,611-kilometer (1,622-mile) border, kwn as Durand Line.

Afghanistan has never recognized border, which runs through Pashtun heartland, diluting power of Afghanistan’s largest ethnic group on both sides.