In a significant blow to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an intelligence-based operation in the Dara Adam Khel area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa saw the elimination of Zafar Khan alias Zafari, a most-wanted TTP commander.
Alongside him, two of his comrades also met their end during this operation. Zafari was notorious for his involvement in multiple grenade attacks and was a serious threat to Pakistan’s security forces, businessmen, and influential figures.
The Perpetrators
Zafari was a resident of the village Malan in Dara Adam Khel. He was noted to have returned to Peshawar from Nangarhar province in Afghanistan on May 22, 2023.
Former Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA) member was implicated in 26 grenade attacks in Pakistan and countless assaults on security forces, coal contractors, and key individuals. He was also known for his involvement in ransom kidnappings and extortion, amassing more than Rs100 million.
The two other militants eliminated were Hasan Khan and Anas alias Ali. Hasan, skilled in sniping and grenade attacks, was a part of the TTA from 2019 to 2021 before joining the Tariq Gidar group in 2022. Anas, a resident of Nangarhar, Afghanistan, was a sniping expert who had taken part in several terrorist attacks against security forces in the North and South Waziristan districts.
Relief and Continued Vigilance
The successful operation has brought a wave of relief to the local coal miners, the business community, and the general populace who were frequent victims of these terrorists. However, security forces remain vigilant, pledging to continue cooperating with the people to ensure the nation’s safety and freedom from terrorism.