Tribal Leaders Killed by TTP Militants in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Peshawar, Oct 10 - Three tribal leaders from the volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan were abducted and brutally killed by militants associated with the outlawed terrorist group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), police reported on Friday.

Abducted on Thursday, the tribal leaders were members of the Betani tribe.

They were also affiliated with the Marwat Betani Qaumi Tehreek, a movement that operates in Lakki Marwat district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, advocating for the interests of the Marwat and Bettani Pashtun tribes. According to police sources, the militants initially assured negotiators that the abducted leaders would be released unharmed. However, contrary to their assurances, the leaders were subjected to severe torture and subsequently executed.

Their bodies were discovered near the Tochi Bridge in Bannu district after the militants fled the scene.

Militants typically target and abduct individuals on accusations of collaborating with government security agencies.

Since the banned TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022, Pakistan has experienced a spike in militant attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.