Afghan special forces member among terrorists killed in Bannu operation, security sources say

BANNU: A terrorist killed in a recent intelligence-based operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district was a member of the Afghan Taliban administration’s special forces, according to security sources.

The sources identified the slain militant as Fatehullah alias Mudassir. They said he was an active member of the Yarmook 60 Special Forces Battalion, a unit operating under the Taliban regime’s Ministry of Interior Affairs.

According to the security sources, Fatehullah was from Zarmat district in Afghanistan’s Paktia province and had been involved in terrorist activity inside Pakistan alongside the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The same sources said reports also indicated that he had a role in facilitating cross-border terrorist networks and in planning various militant operations.

Security sources said Fatehullah was killed with his accomplices during an intelligence-based operation carried out near Baka Khel Airport in Bannu on April 9. They said security forces targeted militant hideouts during the operation and neutralised the terrorists.

Questions raised over Afghan Taliban claims

The security sources said the details about Fatehullah’s Afghan background had raised serious questions about repeated assertions by the Afghan Taliban government that Afghan soil would not be allowed to be used against any other country, particularly Pakistan.

They added that the case had reinforced concerns about cross-border terrorist networks based in Afghanistan and wider militant linkages in the region acting against Pakistan.

Such evidence strengthens concerns regarding cross-border terrorist networks in Afghanistan and regional militant connections, acting against Pakistan.

Bannu has seen repeated security incidents

Bannu has witnessed repeated security incidents in recent months, with both civilians and local security personnel coming under attack amid a broader rise in militant violence.

Recent violence in the district has included attacks on police and jirga members. Those incidents prompted targeted operations by police and security forces in different areas aimed at disrupting militant networks.

The latest account from security sources adds to ongoing concerns over militancy in the district, where security operations have continued in response to attacks and the presence of armed groups.