Tirah raids: Unconfirmed reports of Fazlullah’s death

There has been no official confirmation of the TTP chief's death so far

PESHAWAR:

At least 20 militants were killed and eight others injured in fresh air and ground raids in parts of Khyber Agency’s Tirah Valley on Sunday, sources said. Express News reported late in the night that Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah was also among those killed, but there was no official confirmation.

Ground troops and helicopter gunships carried out raids in several areas of the valley, including Maza Tal, Sookh, Khyber Sanger and Sandan, they said. The operations were still under way by the time this report was filed.

Many militant hideouts were also destroyed during the raids, sources said. They claimed that the father, a brother and children of local militant commander Nazar Gul were also killed when a shell hit their house in Tirah Valley.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2015.