An important Pakistani Taliban commander Azam Tariq, his son and some other militants were killed by the Nato-backed Afghan special forces in Afghanistan’s Paktika province.
Sajna and his spokesman Azam Tariq had settled in Paktika province close to South Waziristan tribal region.The sources said the special Afghan forces backed by Nato troops in four helicopters raided a compound in Mangalkai area in Birmal where Azam Tariq, his son and other militants were present. Mahsud tribal sources said two drones were flying over the area when the raid took place after 10:00pm. They said an exchange of fire happened between the two sides until the operation ended at 4:00am on Sunday.
One report said seven persons were killed in the incident. They included Azam Tariq, his son, two other Mahsuds and three Wazir tribesmen from the Madakhel tribe from North Waziristan. The last-named three were stated to be militants from the faction headed by Hafiz Gul Bahadur.
Senior members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) confirmed the death of Azam Tariq, who once served as its spokesman, and termed it a big loss for the splinter Mahsud militant group, headed by Commander Khan Said alias Sajna.Zeeshan Mahsud, the contact person for Sajna, phoned reporters using an Afghan SIM to confirm the death of Azam Tariq and his young son Shafiullah. Terming terrorist Azam Tariq a martyr, he greeted the Mahsud tribe and Pakistani Muslims on his martyrdom.
