Afghan deputy governor’s son among four militants killed in northwest Pakistan — state media

ISLAMABAD: The son of an Afghan deputy governor was among four militants killed by Pakistani security forces in a recent operation in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Monday.

There has been a surge in militant attacks in Pakistan in recent months, particularly in KP province which borders Afghanistan, and the southwestern Balochistan province which borders Iran and Afghanistan. Most attacks in KP are claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella alliance for militant groups. The TTP is separate but allied with the Afghan Taliban who rule Afghanistan. 

In a report published on Monday, Radio Pakistan said four militants were killed by security forces during a counterterrorism operation in the Kulachi area of KP’s Dera Ismail Khan district recently. 

“Among those killed was the son of the Deputy Governor of Badghis province of Afghanistan. He was identified as Badaruddin alias Yousaf,” the broadcaster said, quoting “sources” as saying Afghan authorities were as yet refusing to receive Badaruddin’s body despite multiple requests from Pakistan.

The report called the killing “irrefutable evidence” of the nexus between the Afghan government and militants attacking Pakistan. 

“Modern American-made night vision equipment, along with M16A4 and M24 sniper rifles, were recovered from the killed terrorists,” Radio Pakistan said. “Badaruddin had previously received training at an Afghan Taliban training center … Badaruddin was directly involved in the new wave of terrorist attacks from Afghanistan into Pakistan.”

Islamabad has frequently accused neighboring Afghanistan of sheltering anti-Pakistan groups that launch cross-border attacks. Afghan officials deny allowing the use of Afghanistan’s territory against any country. The Taliban rulers in Kabul say Pakistan’s security issues are a domestic issue.