KHYBER: At least five militants linked to the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Tirah valley of Khyber district, local sources reported on Monday. The operation, conducted late Saturday night, targeted a group of insurgents allegedly operating under local TTP commander Abuzar.
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According to sources, two key Afghan militants were among those killed in the Merikhel area. The deceased insurgents were identified as Ehsan Badri and Subaib Lezari, both Afghan nationals, along with Omar Sangari from Khyber. Their bodies were later shifted across the border, where funerals for the Afghan fighters were reportedly held in Nangarhar province.
Local officials said the slain militants had been involved in an attack on a security checkpoint in Bar Qambarkhel, Bara, just days earlier. Security personnel had successfully repelled that assault, after which the insurgents are believed to have fled and hidden inside a cave.
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Security sources further claimed that the group had earned notoriety for filming gruesome beheadings and circulating the videos on social media. However, there has been no formal confirmation from law enforcement or the military regarding the operation or the identities of the deceased.