The Taliban are transferring the bodies of 50 Afghan fighters linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) back into Afghanistan after they were killed in clashes with the Pakistani military, sources told Afghanistan International.
The fighters died about two weeks ago during operations by Pakistan’s army in Sambaza, Balochistan, near the Afghan border. On 12 August, the Pakistani military announced it had killed 50 TTP members in the area and seized large quantities of weapons, ammunition and explosives.
Sources said Friday, that the bodies are being returned to families in several Afghan provinces. According to the sources, about 90 percent of those killed were Afghans from the Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction of the TTP, who had crossed into Pakistan to carry out attacks against Pakistani security forces.
The Hafiz Gul Bahadur group is considered one of the most active anti-Pakistan factions and was previously recognised as a military wing of the TTP. It has carried out multiple deadly attacks against Pakistani security forces in recent years.
Pakistan has long accused the Taliban of harbouring militant groups, including the TTP, and has repeatedly urged them to take action. The Taliban have consistently denied such allegations, insisting Afghan territory will not be used to threaten other countries.
Earlier this week, Pakistan’s envoy to the UN warned that Afghanistan-based militants, particularly the TTP, which is believed to have around 6,000 fighters, pose the most immediate threat to Pakistan’s national security and to regional stability.
Separately, UN experts reported to the Security Council that the Taliban continue to provide a permissive environment for foreign terrorist groups in Afghanistan, which they described as a serious threat to Central Asia and beyond.
