Pakistani security forces have successfully neutralized Amjad, the deputy chief of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), along with three other militants. The militants were intercepted as they attempted to cross the Pakistan-Afghanistan border into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district recently. This significant operation was confirmed in a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army’s media wing.
Troops engaged the infiltrating group effectively, thwarting their hostile intentions. The operation resulted in the elimination of all four militants, including the high-value target Amjad, also known by his alias, Mazahim.
Amjad, who served as the second-in-command to TTP chief Noor Wali and led the banned group’s Rehbari Shura, was a crucial figure on the most-wanted list of Pakistani law enforcement. He had a bounty of five million on his head and was known for orchestrating numerous terrorist activities within Pakistan while operating from Afghanistan.
This incident further reinforces Pakistan’s long-standing assertion that militants continue to use Afghan soil as a safe haven for planning and executing attacks. The Pakistani army has urged the interim Afghan government to implement decisive actions to prevent its territory from being exploited for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
Following the successful operation, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended their commendations to the security forces. President Zardari emphasized that such counter-terrorism efforts are vital for ensuring Pakistan’s enduring peace and stability. Prime Minister Sharif lauded the security forces’ expertise in eliminating the notorious TTP commander and foiling the enemies’ malicious plots against Pakistan’s sovereignty, reaffirming the nation’s commitment to eradicating elements that threaten its citizens.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella organization of various militant groups formed in 2007, aims to enforce its rigid interpretation of Islam throughout Pakistan. This group, reportedly linked with al-Qaeda, has been held responsible for numerous devastating attacks, including the 2009 assault on army headquarters, various military base attacks, and the infamous 2008 bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad. Just prior to this incident, six Pakistani soldiers, including a captain, and seven terrorists were killed in an intelligence-led operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district.
The recent events underscore a worrying escalation in terrorist attacks across Pakistan, especially in regions adjacent to Afghanistan. These attacks predominantly target police, law enforcement agencies, and security forces, posing persistent challenges to regional stability.