Afghan Taliban condemn killing of Pakistani cleric Sheikh Muhammad Idrees
Afghan Taliban leaders expressed condolences to JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman after ISKP claimed responsibility for the killing of cleric Sheikh Muhammad Idrees in KP
Kamran Ali
Correspondent Nukta
Kamran Ali, a seasoned journalist from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, has a decade of experience covering terrorism, human rights, politics, economy, climate change, culture, and sports. With an MS in Media Studies, he has worked across print, radio, TV, and digital media, producing investigative reports and co-hosting shows that highlight critical issues.
Senior leaders of the Afghan Taliban have condemned the killing of Pakistani religious scholar Sheikh Muhammad Idrees in Charsadda, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, calling his death a "great loss" for the region.
ISKP later claimed responsibility for the May 5 attack, in which gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on the cleric's vehicle as he traveled to his seminary.
What did the Afghan Taliban say about the killing of Sheikh Muhammad Idrees?
Afghan Defense Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid each contacted JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to offer condolences.
The Taliban leadership said the people of Afghanistan stood with Pakistan in mourning and expressed understanding of the grief felt by JUI-F members, scholars and students.
How was Sheikh Muhammad Idrees killed?
Sheikh Muhammad Idrees was shot dead on May 5 in Charsadda district while traveling to his seminary, according to police and party officials.
Unidentified gunmen riding motorcycles opened fire on his vehicle. Authorities said the attackers had been identified through CCTV footage from the scene, and efforts were underway to arrest those responsible.
The Islamic State Khorasan Province, known as ISKP, later claimed responsibility for the attack. The claim came as Pakistani officials condemned the killing and vowed to bring those responsible to justice.
Who was Sheikh Muhammad Idrees?
According to a JUI-F spokesperson, Sheikh Idrees was a member of the party's provincial and central Majlis-e-Shura and a close aide to Fazlur Rehman.
He had accompanied the JUI-F chief during a 2024 visit to Afghanistan, where the delegation met senior Afghan Taliban leaders.
Those meetings were part of broader efforts to address cross-border security challenges linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, a militant group active in Pakistan.
Pakistan and Afghanistan share a long, porous border, and security cooperation between the two countries has remained a key regional concern amid sustained militant violence.
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