From Our Correspondent
KABUL: A wanted militant commander belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Rafiullah, was killed during infighting in Afghanistan, said sources on Monday. Sources in Afghanistan said the latest bout of infighting within TTP ranks was due to funds and positions within the militant organisation.
The militant’s death comes less than a month after the operational commander and the spokesperson of the TTP, Muhammad Khurassani, was killed in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.
Rafiullah, known by various codenames, was known to support the former intelligence agency of Afghanistan, NDS, Baloch militants and the militant Islamic State (IS).
The militant commander was wanted since 2011 in various incidents of terrorism and was known to facilitate suicide bombers and arrange transport and lodging for them.
He had facilitated the suicide bombers who attacked Quetta Civil Hospital and Islamabad’s Serena Hotel.
Rafiullah had also facilitated attacks on various law enforcement agencies and was said to be the operational commander of the attacks on Major Naeem, Inspector Kabir, Baaz Mohammad and Haji Gulab of Kuchlak and a bank robbery in the same town.
The militant was also linked to kidnapping for ransom incidents involving doctors.
Earlier, Pakistan’s security czar had said that the TTP had unilaterally scrapped a ceasefire agreement with the government.
National Security Adviser (NSA) Moeed Yusuf told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs that organised terrorist networks were still operating on Afghan soil, which was still being used against Pakistan.
Pakistan had approached the Afghan Taliban leadership after the group returned to power in August with a list of demands that included action against the TTP. However, the Afghan Taliban instead offered their good offices to broker a peace deal with the TTP.
Pakistan accepted the offer and after some face-to-face meetings between the two sides, a ceasefire deal was reached in November. However, Yusuf told the committee that the banned TTP had unilaterally scrapped the truce.
