Pakistani Major Involved in Abhinandan Varthaman’s Capture Killed in South Waziristan Encounter

In South Waziristan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Major Moiz Abbas, a Pakistani soldier linked to the capture of Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in 2019, was killed in an encounter. The clash involved the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Abbas, 37, from Chakwal, was shot dead alongside Lance Naik Jibranullah during an anti-terror operation conducted by the Pakistan Army, which claimed to have killed 11 TTP members in the encounter. The TTP, initially believed to be a creation of Pakistan, now poses a threat to the state. During the 2019 Balakot strike, Major Abbas gained notoriety for capturing India’s Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. Abhinandan Varthaman became a national figure following the 2019 military tensions. During the retaliatory air operations, his MiG-21 Bison jet was downed, leading to his capture by the Pakistani army. The TTP’s formation in 2007 followed the Pakistani army’s action against the Lal Masjid (Red Mosque). Many of its leaders, including current head Noor Wali Mehsud, were trained in camps connected to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, allegedly backed by Pakistan’s ISI. Additionally, several TTP members were trained to target the Shia Muslim community in Pakistan.