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A wanted commander and spokesperson for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Khalid Balti, also known as Muhammad Khorasani, was reportedly killed in the Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nangarhar.
According to several reports, unidentified gunmen shot him dead on January 10.
According to preliminary data, ISIS militants are behind the murder. On the other hand, the Pakistan’s intelligence services are also suspected.
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Khorasani was the head of the TTP’s Umar Media wing. He was appointed as the new spokesperson for TTP in 2014 after former spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid declared his allegiance to ISIS. He
Aged between 48 and 50, Khorasani’s real name was Khalid Balti. He was the TTP’s operational commander and the spokesperson for the group.
He was born in the Gilgit-Baltistan region in northern Pakistan. In 2007, he reportedly joined the Tehreek Nifaze Shriat Muhammadi in Swat.
He had close ties to the former TTP chief Mullah Fazalullah. He fled to Afghanistan and remained the TTP spokesperson after Pakistan carried out military operations in the erstwhile tribal areas.
Khalid Balti played an important role in TTP activities in Pakistan and took part in unification of different TTP factions. Being close to the 4th emir of TTP Noor Wali Mehsud, Khorasani was involved in several attacks on many innocent civilians and personnel of security forces.
