Local IS Pakistan commander arrested

Pakistani security forces arrested takfiri commander of the Islamic State group in the country as well as two assistants involved in recruiting and sending fighters to Syria.

Pakistani security forces arrested takfiri commander of the Islamic State group in the country as well as two assistants involved in recruiting and sending fighters to Syria.

Three intelligence sources said the man, Yousaf al Salafi, was arrested in Lahore and confessed during interrogation that he represented IS in Pakistan.

“Al Salafi is a Pakistani Syrian who reached Pakistan through Turkey five months ago,” said one source. “He crossed into Turkey from Syria and was caught there. Somehow he managed to escape and reached Pakistan to establish (IS).”

The source said one of his accomplices, Hafiz Tayyab, was a prayer leader and member of banned Sipah-e-Sahaba in Lahore and was involved in recruiting Pakistanis and sending them to fight alongside the so-called Islamic State in Syria, charging IS about $600 per person.