In a significant counter-terrorism breakthrough, Pakistani security forces have eliminated a senior Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander during an intelligence-based operation in Lower Dir, dealing a major blow to the group’s operational network in the region.
The slain militant, identified as Hafeez Ullah Mubariz also known by his aliases Kochwan and Mubariz Dirvi—was a key figure in planning and executing deadly attacks against both Pakistani and American forces. A computer science graduate turned militant, Mubariz was active in orchestrating cross-border assaults and terrorist activities, particularly in the Lower Dir and Chitral areas, from 2009 to 2014.
Among the most high-profile attacks attributed to him was the 2010 roadside bombing targeting American military trainers embedded with the Dir Scouts, a paramilitary unit of the Frontier Corps. The convoy, comprising six vehicles, was en route to inaugurate a girls’ school in the Koto area—part of a post-conflict development initiative—when it was struck. The attack resulted in the deaths of three U.S. soldiers and injuries to Col. Nadim Mirza, the then-commandant of the Dir Scouts.
TTP spokesperson Azam Tariq had claimed responsibility for the attack at the time, citing it as retaliation against alleged Blackwater presence in the region.
Security officials confirmed that Mubariz’s death represents a substantial setback to the TTP’s operational command in the Malakand Division, further weakening the group’s ability to carry out high-impact terrorist activities in the area.
