ISLAMABAD: A most wanted militant commander of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Rafiullah alias Ahmed Abdullah has been killed in Afghanistan by unidentified assailants.

Defence sources said that killing of Rafiullah come at a time when there has been infighting within various splinter groups of the TTP over the power struggle and finances.

However, the TTP has not issued any statement either to confirm or deny killing of its commander.

Rafiullah, is the second top-ranking militant commander who has been killed by unidentified assailants following assassination of Khalid Balti alias Mohammad Khurasani in Nagarhar province of Afghanistan three weeks ago.

The sources maintained that Rafiullah was supporting the Afghan NDS, ISIS, and Baloch terrorist organisations, and was using several code names for militant activities such as Wahab, Doctor, and Ahmed Abdullah.

Rafiullah has been involved in a number of terrorist activities since 2011, while he was also involved in aiding and abetting suicide bombers.

The sources further stated that killed militant was also among the facilitators of suicide bombers that struck the Civil Hospital, Quetta in 2016, in which, more than 70 people were killed, besides, facilitating and transporting suicide bombers to carry out attack on Quetta Serena Hotel in April 2021.

Additionally, the sources added that Rafiullah was also involved in attacks on police, levies, FC, and other law enforcement agencies, particularly in Balochistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022