Pakistan army has reportedly arrested a top commander of terrorist outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) while a drone strike killed about 20 suspected terrorists in North Waziristan.
Islamabad, July 16/Nationalturk – Pakistan army has reportedly arrested a top commander of terrorist outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Adnan Rashid from country’s South Waziristan tribal agency while a drone strike killed about 20 suspected terrorists in North Waziristan tribal agency.
Pakistan intelligence sources said TTP commander Adnan Rashid was arrested by security forces in Shakai valley of South Waziristan few days back in injured condition.
“The security forces raided a house in the area and Rashid tried to escape and was injured in the ensuing firefight. He was arrested and taken to unknown destination by security forces,” they said.
Sources said al Qaeda commander Mufti Zubair Marwat alongwith his two guards was also arrested during the raid.
Pakistan security officials said Shakai valley, where from TTP commander was arrested, is on the border of North and South Waziristan.
Rashid is the first top Taliban commander to be arrested since Pakistan military launched an offensive in neighbouring North Waziristan tribal agency on June 15 last month.
Rashid escaped from prison in April 2012
Rashid was serving a jail term for trying to blow up former Pakistan president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf before escaping from Bannu Jail on April 15, 2012 following an attack by hundreds of TTP militants. About 400 prisoners including Taliban militants had escaped during the jail break.
After his escape, he claimed responsibility for masterminding another jail break in Dera Ismail Khan that freed about 250 prisoners and made a series of YouTube videos.
He also gained attention by writing a letter to teenage education activist Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban in an attempt to kill her. Rashid had said he wished the attack hadn’t happened, but told Malala that she was targeted for speaking ill of the Taliban.
Rashid, in his mid-30s, was former junior technician of Pakistan Air Force (PAF). He was one of the wanted terrorists in Pakistan.
However, Pakistan army or government has not yet confirmed Rashid’s arrest.
20 killed in drone strike in NWA
Pakistan security officials said drone fired four missiles towards a house and a vehicle near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in North Waziristan’s Datta Khel tehsil on Wednesday morning.
“In the drone strike, about 20 suspected militants were killed few others injured,” they said.
They said the drones were still hovering around in the area.
After Pakistan military launched operation against local and foreign terrorists hiding in North Waziristan tribal agency on June 15 last month, US drones have struck thrice in the agency targeting terrorist infrastructure and safe houses.
There are media reports that Pakistan military is tacitly supporting US drone strikes on terrorist infrastructure in North Waziristan.
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Asia News/ NationalTurk Pakistan News
