An Afghan national allegedly involved in terrorist activities in Pakistan was killed during an intelligence-based operation conducted by security forces in the Datta Khel area of North Waziristan on February 6, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the slain individual was identified as Luqman Khan alias Nusrat, a resident of the Spira district in Afghanistan’s Khost province.

The ISPR stated that since the deceased was an Afghan national, authorities had contacted the interim Afghan government for the repatriation of the body.

The military’s media wing asserted that such incidents were “irrefutable evidence” of Afghan nationals’ involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan.

“It is expected that the interim Afghan government will fulfil its responsibilities and ensure that Afghan soil is not used for terrorism against Pakistan,” the statement read.

Continued cross-border concerns

The latest development comes amid growing concerns over the alleged use of Afghan territory by militant groups targeting Pakistan.

Last week, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir presided over the 267th Corps Commanders’ Conference at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, where senior military officials expressed alarm over continued attacks originating from Afghanistan. The forum urged the interim Afghan government to take “concrete actions” against terrorist groups rather than issuing denials.

In a separate incident, security forces conducted an operation in the Madi area of Kalachi tehsil, Dera Ismail Khan, on the night of January 30 and 31, resulting in the killing of four suspected terrorists belonging to the banned outfit Fitna Al-Khawarij.

According to sources, among those killed was Badruddin alias Yousuf, son of Maulvi Ghulam Mohammad Ahmadi, the deputy governor of Afghanistan’s Badghis province. Security forces recovered American-made night vision devices, M16A4 rifles, and M24 sniper rifles from the slain militants.

Sources further stated that Afghan authorities have refused to accept the body of Badruddin despite repeated requests from Pakistan.

Previous incidents

In another incident last month, a terrorist identified as an Afghan national was killed during an operation in the Sambaza area of Zhob district, Balochistan, on January 11.

The individual, Muhammad Khan Ahmedkhel, was reportedly a resident of Bilorai village in Afghanistan’s Paktika province.

Following legal formalities, Ahmedkhel’s body was handed over to officials of the interim Afghan government on January 20.