Pakistani Army Major, who had captured IAF’s Abhinandan, killed in clash with TTP: Reports

A senior Pakistani Army officer, Major Syed Moiz Abbas Shah, who had gained prominence in 2019 for reportedly being involved in the capture of Indian Air Force pilot Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman, was killed earlier this week in an encounter with militants allegedly affiliated to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), according to reports.

The clash occurred during a reported intelligence-based operation (IBO) conducted by Pakistani forces in the Sararogha area of South Waziristan on Tuesday. The operation, according to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), targeted a suspected militant hideout, resulting in a heavy exchange of gunfire.

ISPR reportedly confirmed that Major Shah, 37 and a native of Chakwal, was killed during the operation, along with Lance Naik Jibran Ullah, 27, from Bannu. Pakistani authorities claimed that 11 militants were neutralised and seven others injured during the confrontation. Clearance operations were said to be ongoing in the region.

While the ISPR has not confirmed the total toll on Pakistani forces, some media reports claimed that up to 14 security personnel lost their lives in the broader set of clashes with militants in Sargodha and Kurram regions. However, these numbers have not been independently verified.