TTP-JA's key commander killed in Afghanistan

TTP splinter group blames ISI for deaths of Qari Shakeel and Dr Tariq, warns of reprisal attacks

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan splinter group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar confirmed on Thursday that a key commander had been killed in Afghanistan, BBC Urdu reported.

In a statement released on Thursday, the group's spokesperson said that Maulana Shakeel Ahmed Haqqani, alias Qari Shakeel, and Dr Tariq Ali, alias Abu Obaidah al-Islamabadi, had been killed. Blaming the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) arm of the military for their deaths, he warned that the group will exact revenge.

However, there was no official confirmation of their deaths from Pakistan.

BBC Urdu further reported that the two had been killed in the Afghan province of Nangarhar along with two other men.

Maulana Haqqani was a key commander of Jamaat-al-Ahrar who the authorities blamed for high-profile attacks in Mohmand agency.