A senior leader of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Khalid Batli alias Mohammad Khurasani, was killed in the eastern Nangarhar province of Afghanistan, a senior security official confirmed on Monday.
Details on the circumstances surrounding the killing were not clear.
The official said Balti, aged around 50, had also been the banned outfit's spokesperson and was involved in several attacks on the people and security forces of Pakistan.
He (Balti) had been visiting Kabul frequently since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, the official added.Balti had been making efforts for uniting various TTP factions and planning terrorist attacks with TTP chief Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, the official said, adding that he had recently hinted at carrying out terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.
Hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan, Khalid Balti had been an operational commander of the TTP for the past several years.
In 2007, he joined the banned Tehreek Nifaz Shariat-i-Muhammadi in Swat and established close ties with Mullah Fazlullah, a former head of the TTP. He had cordial and close relations with TTP members of all tiers, officials said, adding that Balti played a vital role in the TTP's propaganda campaign.
Officials said Balti ran a terrorist hideout in Khyber Pakthunkhwa's Miramshah town and had fled to Afghanistan in the aftermath of operation Zarb-i-Azab.