DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The son of the deputy governor of Afghanistan’s Badghis province was among four terrorists killed during a counterterrorism operation last week in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to Radio Pakistan, an intelligence-based operation (IBO) was conducted in the Maddi area of Kulachi tehsil, Dera Ismail Khan district, on Jan 31, during which four terrorists were killed.

Sources said the targeted militants were involved in extortion, kidnappings, and multiple acts of terrorism.

Three of the militants were said to be affiliated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Among them was an Afghan national, identified as Badruddin alias Yusuf. He is said to be the son of Maulvi Ghulam Muhammad Ahmadi, deputy governor of the Badghis province — which borders Turkmenistan — under the Taliban regime.

Badaruddin had previously received training at an Afghan Taliban training centre and later joined the TTP. He was directly involved in the recent wave of terrorist attacks from Afghanistan into Pakistan, Radio Pakistan reported.

The report said that Afghan authorities had refused to receive the eliminated terrorist’s body “despite multiple requests from Pakistan”.

The two other militants belonged to the TTP’s Zarrar Gandapur group, known for its involvement in terrorist activities in the region.

Sources said security forces recovered a significant cache of weapons, including US-made advanced night vision devices, M16A4 rifles and M24 sniper rifles from the terrorists’ possession.

Earlier this month, Pakistan repatriated the body of an Afghan national involved in terrorist activities who was killed in an IBO in Balochistan’s Zhob district.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media affairs wing, had said the incident was “irrefutable evidence” of the involvement of Afghan nationals in terrorist activities in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2025