ISLAMABAD: The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaatul Ahrar (TTP-JuA) has killed an
Afghan Taliban commander in eastern
Afghanistan’s Kunar Province, where the banned group is believed to have its basis, sources said on Saturday.
Ubaid, who was killed two days ago, was the second
Afghan Taliban commander killed by the TTP-JuA in Kunar’s Sarkano district in 10 days, a source told Daily Times.
Two other sympathisers of the
Afghan Taliban were also killed in Lal P
ura area of Nangarhar province, bordering Pakistan. Lal Pura is thought to be the headquarters of Ahrar, which is blamed for dozens of deadliest
attacks in Pakistan.
Last week the Pakistani armed group allegedly killed an
Afghan Taliban local leader Zabita Jalal that caused tension between the two sides in the area.
Zabta Jalil was an
Afghan Taliban leader from Kunar who had been inv
olved in clashes with Ahrar militants for long time. He was wanted to the Americans and
Afghan government and the government forces had carried out several operations against him but failed to capture him, a militant leader said.
Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid evaded comments and said he will try to seek information when a query was posted in his official WhatsApp. The TTP-JA spokesman did not reply to an email.
The sources said the Ahrar fighters had also been inv
olved in clashes with a famous
Afghan Taliban commander Qari Ziaur Rehman in Kunar in recent weeks, but there was no casualty. However, the clashes caused serious tensions between the two sides which prompted mediation by locals as they were conce
rned about threats to their security.
Daily Times has learnt that the TTP JA leader Abdu Wali alias Omar Khalid Khorasani’s relationship had always been tense with the
Afghan Taliban in Nangarhar and Kunar and both had been inv
olved in
attacks on each other. Both lost fighters including the brother of a key commander Haji Abdul Rahim of the
Afghan Taliban.
He had also previously associated with Omar Khalid Khorasani, but later parted ways with him because of differences.
Militant sources said that
Afghan Taliban took two Ahrar fighters after Ahrar killed two supporters of the
Afghan Taliban in Lal Pura district of Nangarhar. A jirga or council has been constituted to secure the release of the two hostages and to reduce tension. However, both are still in the custody of the
Afghan Taliban.
A Pakistani militant commander, who is aware of the tense relations between the TTP JA and the
Afghan Taliban, said that Ahrar wanted to establish its control in some of the border regions.
“Ahrar also does not accept the policies of the
Afghan Taliban but other groups follow the
Afghan Taliban,” a militant leader said when asked about the Ahrar’s conflict with the
Afghan Taliban.
The JuA was launched in 2014 by several leaders of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan from Mohmand tribal region after internal differences surfaced over the leadership and policies. Omar Khalid Khorasani, who belongs to Mohmand agency, is leading the group.
In April, Ehsanullah Ehsan, the former spokesman for the JuA surrendered to the security forces had disclosed in a video that many Pakistani militants operate from the
Afghan side of the border.
Published in Daily Times, September 17th 2017.