Karachi, Pakistan – A senior Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistani leader (Pakistan Taliban or TTP) has been killed in East Afghanistan, Pakistani security officials said, as a process of peace talks between armed groups and the government remained stalled.
Khalid Balti, also known by Nom de Guerre Muhammad Khorasani when he served as a group spokesman, was killed in Nangarhar Province, a security source told Al Jazeera on Tuesday.
The official spoke with anonymous conditions because he was not authorized to talk to the media about this problem.
“It is clear that the dead are Khalid Balti,” the official said, while also confirming the murder occurred in the province of Nangarhar Afghanistan, along the border with Pakistan.
When asked about the state of murder, he said, “We tried to get that information.”
Local media in Pakistan reported that Balti had been shot dead by unknown gunmen, but the source could not confirm these reports.
In a statement, Pakistan Taliban, said that “investigations were underway” into the report that Balti had been killed.
“It should be remembered that the Mufti Khalid Balti currently has no responsibility in [Pakistan Taliban],” said the statement.
Alias Balti from Muhammad Khorasani became moniker for each spokesman for the consecutive Taliban Pakistani, and the group clarified that the current spokesman was “live and healthy”.
Balti, said in the late 40s, came from the North Pakistan region of Gilgit-Baltistan, and took over as a spokesman for Pakistan Taliban from Sheikh Maqbool – who left with Shahidullah Shahid – in 2014.
That year, the Pakistani military launched a security operation against Pakistan Taliban at Headquarters and Fortress of North Waziristan, displacing the group and many of his fighters to East Afghanistan.
Pakistani security sources describe Balti as a “important leader” of Pakistan Taliban, contrary to armed group claims.
It is not clear, if any, the role of Balti’s operational recently, after being released from the Afghan government prisoners by the Afghan Taliban when the group took control of Kabul in August.
Last month, a ceasefire for a month between the Pakistani military and Pakistan Taliban ended without renewal, as a newborn peace process – brown by the Afghan Taliban – seemed to stop.
Pakistan Taliban claims the Pakistani government has denied his promise to release Pakistani Taliban prisoners and to stop the security raids in TTP hiding.