Pakistani Police Kill Militant Leader From Lashkar-e-Jhangvi

July 29, 2015

Pakistani police say they killed the leader of the militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, his two sons, and 11 others on July 29 during a shootout after gunmen attacked a police convoy in an attempt to free the Sunni extremist from custody.

Malik Ishaq was on a U.S. list of global terrorists, and the group he founded has claimed responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of civilians, mostly minority Shi'ite Muslims.

Ishaq had faced several murder trials but had always been acquitted after witnesses refused to testify. He was arrested again July 25, along with his two sons.

A police convoy transporting Ishaq and his sons was ambushed at Muzaffargarh in Punjab Province by about a dozen gunmen on motorcycles on July 29 who managed to free them.

Police further along the road attacked the group as they were fleeing, killing Ishaq and his associates.

Six police were wounded.

Ishaq was under investigation for the murder of dozens of people in target killings and for working with Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP