At least five Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, including a key commander, were killed in the Shaktoi area of South Waziristan tribal region on Monday, sources said.
Security officials said the incident took place in South Waziristan’s Shaktoi area where a vehicle carrying the TTP militants was fired upon by unknown armed assailants.
Other sources said that a clash occurred between the Khan Said alias Sajna and Waliur Rehman groups of the TTP.
The sources added that those killed in the incident included a key commander Kashed Khan Mehsud who is believed to be a local commander of the Hakimullah Mehsud group while the others were also TTP fighters.
Taliban sources had yet to confirm the deaths of its fighters
Earlier, a key commander and Shura member of the TTP Asmatullah Shaheen Bhittani had been killed in a targeted attack.
Intelligence sources said the Sajna group was behind the attack as Asmatullah Shaheen had opposed Sajna’s appointment and supported Mullah Fazlullah to replace Hakimullah Mehsud as TTP chief.