09:39, 16-Jun-2018
Fighting Terrorism: Afghan official: Drone strike killed Pakistani Taliban chief
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Afghan officials the leader of the Pakistani Taliban leader has been killed in a drone strike in the east of Afghanistan. This killing has not yet been confirmed. Our correspondent Danial Khan has more from the Pakistani capital.
DANIAL KHAN ISLAMABAD "A spokesman of the Afghan defense ministry says, the leader of banned Tehrik-e-taliban Pakistan, Mullah Fazlullah was killed in a US drone strike, in the Afghan province of Kunar.
According to media reports, a US military official has confirmed that the US drone strike took place near the Pakistan border. But there are also contradictory reports on US media, quoting US officials, that they cannot confirm if the person who was killed was actually the TTP leader.
Fazlullah has been on Pakistan's most-wanted list. He was said to be the mastermind behind several attacks including the 2014 army school attack that killed 132 children. The United States had placed a $5 million reward for information on Fazlullah. Islamabad, in a number of instances has said that the Pakistani Taliban maintain sanctuaries in Afghanistan.
The drone strike comes amid a seven-day ceasefire between the Afghan Taliban and government security forces to allow Afghan citizens to observe the last days of Ramazan and Eid, peacefully. Experts say if Fazlullah is confirmed killed, it could ease strained ties between Islamabad and Washington. Danial Khan, CGTN, Islamabad."