Afghan commander involved in terrorism killed in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Security sources have confirmed the identity of an Afghan militant killed in an operation in Pakistan, revealing his involvement in terrorism.

According to the sources, on February 28, the Pakistani security forces eliminated 14 militants in an operation in Ghulam Khan Kalay. Among them was an Afghan militant identified as Mujeebur Rehman, also known as Mansoor, son of Mirza Khan.

Mujeeb hailed from the Dandar village of Maidan Wardak province in Afghanistan. He was a commander of the third battalion at Afghanistan’s National Military Academy, sources said. Additionally, on January 30, security forces killed another Afghan militant, Badruddin, during an operation in Dera Ismail Khan.

Badruddin, son of Maulvi Ghulam Muhammad, was a lieutenant in the Afghan army and the son of the deputy governor of Bagdhis province, according to security officials. The development came against the backdrop of increased terrorist incidents in Pakistan which Islamabad has time again urged Kabul to not allow its territory to be used by terrorist groups to carry out attacks against Pakistan - vehemently denied by the Afghan Taliban-led administration. The two nations share a porous border spanning around 2,500 kilometres with several crossing points which hold significance as a key element of regional trade and relations between the people across both sides of the fence.

The diplomatic effort is coupled with ongoing kinetic action against terrorists by security forces who continue to engage in operations, eliminating a number of militants and thwarting multiple infiltration attempts.

However, the issue of terrorism remains a key issue for Pakistan which has urged Afghanistan to prevent its soil from being used by groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to carry out attacks inside the former’s territory.

Islamabad’s reservations have also been confirmed by a report submitted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team which has revealed a nexus between Kabul and the TTP with the forming providing logistical, operational and financial support to the latter.