Squaring off: Three Swat Taliban commanders slain in attack, states report

Kunar residents deny claims over Fazlullah’s death, insist no clash took place.

The Afghan Taliban killed three Pakistani Taliban commanders in a clash in the Afghan province of Kunar near the Pak-Afghan border, the British Broadcasting Corporation reported on Thursday.

Eyewitnesses cited by the broadcaster’s Urdu service said that dozens of Afghan Taliban fighters carrying heavy arms attacked the hideouts of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militants, killing three and injuring many others belonging to Swat Taliban group.

According to some sources, the head of the Swat Taliban Maulvi Fazlullah was killed in the clash, but the Taliban have since denied the claim, BBC Urdu reported.

Sources in the Taliban confirmed that a clash did take place, but denied that any of the Swat Taliban commanders or fighters were killed, the news report stated. Taliban sources also categorically refuted the news that Fazlullah had been killed, according to BBC Urdu.

Earlier some newspapers from Peshawar had also reported that Fazlullah had died, but some days ago Swat Taliban released a video to accept the killing of Maj Gen Sanaullah and showed Maulvi Fazlullah celebrating the attack’s success.

However, sources in Kunar could not independently confirm reports of Fazlullah’s death. Meanwhile, residents in Kunar also denied reports of any skirmishes in the area while talking to The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 11^th, 2013.