Senior TTP Member Killed in Paktia: Reuters

According to Reuters, Khurasani had a bounty of $3 million on his head. 

Abdul Wali, also known as Omar Khalid Khurasani, a senior member of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, and three of his aides were killed in a roadside blast in southeastern Paktia province on Sunday, Reuters reported citing intelligence sources of Pakistan. 

According to Reuters, Khurasani had a bounty of $3 million on his head.

The Islamic Emirate said it will investigate the matter.

“Our investigation has been continuing in this regard to see what is the issue. What incident happened and where it happened,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.

Khurasani and his aides were killed in an explosion from an apparent roadside bomb while travelling in a car in the southeastern province of Paktia on Sunday, the sources told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, some sources said that Khurasani was present in the negotiations which were reportedly held between the TTP and Pakistani government in Kabul.

The political analysts gave various views on the killing of Khurasani.

“To gain money and weapons from the US, (Pakistan) should always declare an enemy and that enemy is now TTP. This is an enemy who could be controlled everywhere and they can eliminate it anywhere they want to,” said Sher Hassan Hassan, a political analyst.

“I think there are disagreements among the TTP. Usually, whenever there are peace negotiations, the hardliners are on one side and the moderates are on the other side. I think it is about the internal disagreements among the TTP,” said Waheed Faqiri, a political analyst.

Khurasani was the chief of Jamat-ul-Ahrar (JuA), a TTP branch that is designated a terrorist group by the United Nations and United States, according to Reuters.

Senior TTP Member Killed in Paktia: Reuters