Afghan Taliban arrest TTP terrorists amid growing pressure

Afghan interim govt made the arrests in the bordering town of Kunar a day ago, reliable source says

PESHAWAR:

In a significant development, the Afghanistan interim government has apprehended three commanders and 16 foot soldiers associated with the Malakand Division chapter of banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The arrests, which occurred just a day ago, took place in the bordering area of Kunar, a reliable source told The Express Tribune on Tuesday.

The move comes as Pakistan intensifies its pressure on the Afghan Taliban to take decisive action against the TTP, a group implicated in a spate of recent terrorist activities in Pakistan. Last month, Islamabad conveyed a list of demands to Kabul, including the extradition of Hafiz Gul Bahadur, whose faction claimed responsibility for the November 26 suicide attack in Bannu.

Authorities revealed that the Bannu attack was carried out by an Afghan national, marking the latest in a series of attacks in Pakistan since the return of the Afghan Taliban to power in August 2021.

Read more: Pakistan delivers ‘stern message’ to Kabul on future attacks

Addressing concerns, Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) stated on Friday that the Afghan Taliban government had given "certain assurances" to neutralise the threat posed by the TTP.

According to a source familiar with the matter, among the apprehended individuals is Commander Ilyas, also known as Ustad Ji, from the Malakand Division. Two other commanders, members of the Malakand shura, were also taken into custody. The entire group, referred to as a Tashkil, was promptly transferred to Kunar Jail following their arrest.

The source indicated that the initial stages of the investigation suggest that the captured suspects have links to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). Furthermore, it was noted that the arrested commanders are believed to have played a facilitating role for the terrorist group.

Since the return of the Taliban to power in August 2021, Pakistan has witnessed a concerning surge in terrorist attacks. Statistics reveal a 60 per cent increase in overall attacks, with suicide attacks rising dramatically by 500 per cent.