Six TTP terrorists killed in Afghanistan's Khost IED blast
World
Afghan Taliban last week assured Pakistan of action against terrorists' sanctuaries
KABUL (Dunya News) – At least six terrorists of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), including key commanders, were killed while 15 others injured in an IED blast in southeastern Afghanistan, Dunya News reported on Thursday.
Sources said the explosion occurred in Khost province of Afghanistan, adding that three of the killed militants had been identified as TTP Abdul Manan, Alam Khan Mudakhel, and Kajir while identification of other three were being determined.
Some of the wounded militants identified as Fazl Amin, Muhammad Alias ‘Tofan’, Noor Payo Khan, Faqeerullah, Turzai, Sat Kare, Ali Sher Khan, Zubair, Hijratullah, Kamal, Sher Afzal, Bakhtullah and Zabeehullah.
Sources said the attacks on the militants have sparked confusion and cracks among the TTP leadership that believes the noose has been tightened around them after the recent visit of the Pakistani delegation to Kabul.
Meanwhile, some of the TTP members are looking the senior leadership of Afghan Taliban with suspicion. In a separate incident, the in-charge of TTP’s Umar Media Group, Mukaram Harasani, was also seriously injured, reports said.
Kabul promises action against TTP sanctuaries amid terrorism in Pakistan
A high-level delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif visited the neighbouring country last week. Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq, Foreign Secretary Asad Majeed Khan and Kabul mission head Ubaid Ur Rehman Nizamani were also part of the delegation.
During the visit, the Taliban-led interim government in Afghanistan had assured the Pakistani delegation of an action against sanctuaries of the banned TTP on its soil as Islamabad took up the matter of terrorism incidents with Kabul.
The Foreign Office issued a statement following the visit and said Pakistan and Afghanistan had agreed to effectively address the threat of terrorism posed by various entities and organisations.
The delegation met senior Afghan leadership, including Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Beradar Akhund, Defence Minister Mawlavi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
Matters related to the growing threat of terrorism in the region, particularly from TTP and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), came under discussion.
Both sides also agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields to further enhance the fraternal relations between the two countries.
The visit came as the South Asian country faced uptick in terrorism attack by the Afghanistan-based TTP since the militant group unilaterally withdrew from the ceasefire agreement in November last. One of the deadliest attacks by the banned group occurred last month when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a mosque in highly-fortified Peshawar Police Lines in January. More than 100 people were killed while dozens injured in the incident.
Earlier this month, the TTP claimed responsibility of an attack on the Karachi Police Office where five people including security officials were martyred while the three attacks were killed in a swift operation.
