PESHAWAR: A Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) splinter group, of the Hakimullah Mehsud faction claimed responsibility on Tuesday for the kidnapping of Chinese tourist Hong xu Dong from Dera Ismail Khan on Monday.

The abducted Chinese tourist had been travelling from Lahore to Balochistan via Khyber Paktunkhwa. He was kidnapped from the Darban area of Dera Ismail Khan. Security forces had recovered a cycle from Garah Mehmood along with the belongings of the tourist from the spot.

Abdullah Bahar, who claimed to be a commander of the Hakimullah Mehsud faction of TTP splinter group led by Sheryar Mehsud alleged in a telephonic interview that “we have kidnapped the Chinese tourist from Daraban and he is in our custody.”

He further stated that the Chinese tourist was abducted to force Pakistani authorities to release TTP fighters in their custody.

Regarding the location of the kidnapped tourist, Bahar said Hong xu Dong had been shifted to a "safe area" and is in the custody of TTP Sheryar Mehsud group fighters.

When the Chinese embassy was contacted, they stated they were in the process of collecting information regarding the whereabouts of the tourist who had been kidnapped from Dera Ismail Khan.