A senior commander of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was shot dead in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province when unidentified assailants opened fire on him late Wednesday night, security sources confirmed.
According to details, the incident occurred in the outskirts of Kandahar city where unidentified motorbike riders targeted TTP commander Naqeebullah Agha. He was killed on the spot. Naqeebullah Agha, also referred to as the “Khawarij Commander of Balochistan,” hailed from Pishin district in Balochistan and had been hiding in Afghanistan for several years. He was regarded as a key figure in the TTP network operating in Balochistan, with significant influence over cross-border subversive activities.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, though Afghan officials have confirmed the killing.
The death of Naqeebullah Agha comes amid a series of similar incidents in recent months, during which several senior TTP leaders have been eliminated in mysterious gun and bomb attacks across different parts of Afghanistan. Analysts believe these repeated targeted killings have weakened the group’s operational command and sowed mistrust within its ranks.
Observers note that the continued elimination of TTP commanders inside Afghanistan also highlights the group’s precarious position, as it faces both internal fissures and growing external hostilities.
