Key Taliban commander, three others handed over to Pakistan: sources

Published December 7, 2014
In this Oct. 4, 2009 photo, Pakistani Taliban commander Latif Mehsud sits with fellows in Sararogha in south Waziristan in Pakistan. – AP
In this Oct. 4, 2009 photo, Pakistani Taliban commander Latif Mehsud sits with fellows in Sararogha in south Waziristan in Pakistan. – AP

PESHAWAR: Latif Mehsud, a close aide of former Pakistani Taliban chief Hakeemullah Mehsud, has been handed over to Pakistani authorities along with his two guards and a broker, sources said on Saturday night.

High placed official sources told Dawn.com that Latif Mehsud, the then number-two of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakimullah Mehsud, was arrested along with his guards and a tribesman, Shah Jehan on Pak-Afghan border by the Afghan National Army.

Also read: Al Qaeda leader killed in North Waziristan drone strike

Latif was crossing the border allegedly to buy weapons at the time of the arrest. The militants were then snatched by the Nato troops from the Afghan National Army.

Read: Pakistani Taliban ‘No.2’ captured in Afghanistan

The former TTP commander was under the Afghan and Nato troops custody for some time and reportedly was handed over to Pakistani authorities after the recent visit of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to Pakistan.

Pakistani authorities had been demanding the return of the arrested TTP commanders. The other two militants handed over to Pakistan have been identified as Jafar and Aziz.

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