A fabricated news report circulating widely on social media, claiming that a senior commander of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Hidayat Hajji Lala, was gunned down along with four associates in Kabul, has been confirmed as fake. No such incident has occurred, and Afghan officials have not reported any such attack.
The false claim alleges that the armed assault took place in the Karte Naw area of Kabul, specifically in Atam Oza locality, where two unidentified men on a motorcycle reportedly opened fire on a vehicle carrying the alleged TTP commander. The fabricated report further claims that all five men were killed on the spot and that Afghan law enforcement had launched an investigation.
However, credible sources in both Afghanistan and Pakistan have categorically denied any such incident. Afghan authorities have issued no official statement, and there is no record of any armed attack matching the described details. Intelligence officials in the region have also confirmed that no senior or mid-level TTP commander by the name of Hidayat Hajji Lala has been reported killed.
“This is a classic case of disinformation aimed at creating confusion and fuelling speculation,” said a senior Pakistani security official. “We urge the public and media outlets to verify facts before amplifying unconfirmed reports, particularly those emerging from unverified social media sources.”
Security analysts have warned against the growing trend of misinformation campaigns targeting regional security narratives. They stress the importance of distinguishing between verified intelligence and deliberately misleading propaganda.
The baseless report appears to have been crafted to exploit recent tensions between Pakistan and the interim Afghan government over the presence of TTP elements in Afghan territory. However, experts caution that such false narratives only complicate already sensitive diplomatic engagements.
Authorities have advised citizens and media professionals to rely only on information issued by official and verified channels and to refrain from spreading unconfirmed reports that can damage bilateral relations and regional stability.
