ISLAMABAD: Security forces killed a “high-ranking terrorist commander” overseeing the Pakistani Taliban or TTP’s financial operations since 2024 in the southwestern Killa Saifullah district, state media reported on Sunday, vowing to eliminate militancy from the country.

State media broadcaster Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported that Adil Shah alias Darwesh, a key commander of the TTP, was killed by security forces in an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan’s Killa Saifullah district.

Citing security sources, APP said Shah had been associated with the TTP since December 2020.

“Since 2024, he had been serving as a central figure overseeing the group’s financial operations,” it said.

The state media said Shah also played a crucial logistical role in facilitating the permanent settlement of foreign militants across Balochistan’s Zhob, Sherani, and Shabgan districts.

Citing security sources, the report said the slain militant was directly involved in orchestrating attacks against security forces, extortion and kidnapping for ransom dating back to 2022 and 2023.

“The terrorist commander was a fugitive of law, with 19 First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against him in various anti-terrorism courts,” APP reported, adding that the government had placed a bounty of Rs2.5 million [$9,018] on his head.

The TTP has carried out deadly attacks against Pakistani law enforcers since 2007 in its bid to impose a strict version of Islamic law across the country. They have increased attacks against Pakistani forces, especially in the northwestern KP province, since 2022 when a fragile truce between the group and the state broke down.

Meanwhile, Balochistan has also been gripped by an insurgency launched by separatist militant groups such as the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) for long. These militants blame the central government for denying locals a share in the province’s natural resources and hence demand separation.

Islamabad denies the charges and instead, blames India and Afghanistan for supporting separatist militants and the TTP in Balochistan. Kabul and New Delhi reject the accusations and urge Islamabad to resolve its security challenges internally.