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Afghan forces 'kill Pakistan Taliban commander Azam Tariq' | Afghan forces 'kill Pakistan Taliban commander Azam Tariq' |
(35 minutes later) | |
A leading Pakistani Taliban commander has been killed by special forces in eastern Afghanistan, the militants say. | A leading Pakistani Taliban commander has been killed by special forces in eastern Afghanistan, the militants say. |
Azam Tariq died in Paktika province, near Pakistan's border. His son and nine others were also reported killed. | Azam Tariq died in Paktika province, near Pakistan's border. His son and nine others were also reported killed. |
Tariq was a former Pakistani Taliban spokesman and part of a breakaway faction after the group split in 2014. | Tariq was a former Pakistani Taliban spokesman and part of a breakaway faction after the group split in 2014. |
Many Pakistani Taliban now operate from Afghanistan after they were dislodged from strongholds in north-west Pakistan by a military offensive. | Many Pakistani Taliban now operate from Afghanistan after they were dislodged from strongholds in north-west Pakistan by a military offensive. |
Reports say Afghan special forces backed by Nato troops killed Azam Tariq in the Barmal district of Paktika on Saturday night, but it took a day for his death to be confirmed. | Reports say Afghan special forces backed by Nato troops killed Azam Tariq in the Barmal district of Paktika on Saturday night, but it took a day for his death to be confirmed. |
Dawn newspaper reported that ground forces were backed by four helicopter gunships and two drones in a gun battle that went on for more than five hours. | |
Azam Tariq was chief spokesman for the Pakistan Taliban between 2009 and 2013, when Hakimullah Mehsud was leader. | Azam Tariq was chief spokesman for the Pakistan Taliban between 2009 and 2013, when Hakimullah Mehsud was leader. |
After the latter's death in a drone strike, the movement split and Tariq became spokesman for a splinter faction led by Khan Said Sajna. | After the latter's death in a drone strike, the movement split and Tariq became spokesman for a splinter faction led by Khan Said Sajna. |
A spokesman for the Sajna group, Zeeshan Mehsud, telephoned journalists to confirm that Azam Tariq was dead. | A spokesman for the Sajna group, Zeeshan Mehsud, telephoned journalists to confirm that Azam Tariq was dead. |
He said the "matryrdom of Azam Tariq" was a cause of pride for the Mehsud tribesmen of South Waziristan. | He said the "matryrdom of Azam Tariq" was a cause of pride for the Mehsud tribesmen of South Waziristan. |
He is the first prominent Pakistani Taliban leader to be killed in Afghanistan since the July 2016 killing of Hafiz Saeed Khan, the chief of so-called Islamic State for the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. | He is the first prominent Pakistani Taliban leader to be killed in Afghanistan since the July 2016 killing of Hafiz Saeed Khan, the chief of so-called Islamic State for the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. |