TTP Kills Pakistan Army SSG Major Who Claimed Role In Abhinandan’s 2019 Capture

Major Moiz Abbas Shah, a 37-year-old officer in the Pakistan Army who once claimed a role in the capture of Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman during the 2019 post-Balakot standoff, has been killed in an encounter with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants. The clash took place in Pakistan's South Waziristan region, a known hotspot for militant activity.

Shah, originally from Chakwal and a member of Pakistan Army's elite Special Service Group (SSG), was reportedly leading an anti-militancy operation when he was fatally shot. Another soldier, Lance Naik Jibranullah, also died during the encounter. The Pakistan military confirmed the deaths on Tuesday.

A Figure from the Balakot Aftermath

Major Shah came into the spotlight in 2019 when India and Pakistan were locked in a tense military confrontation following the Pulwama terror attack. During the retaliatory Balakot airstrikes by India, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman flew a MiG-21 Bison and was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani jets. He was captured after ejecting and landing in Pakistan-occupied territory.

Shah had claimed to be directly involved in Abhinandan's capture, which became one of the most significant moments of the standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. The Indian pilot was later released by Pakistan in what was termed a peace gesture.

TTP's Intensifying War Against Pakistan
The killing of Shah adds to the growing toll inflicted by the TTP, a group originally formed in 2007 after the military's siege of Islamabad's Lal Masjid. The organisation emerged from Pakistan's own jihadist networks and includes militants formerly associated with groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed. One of its founders, Qari Hussain Mehsud, was known for training suicide bombers and had close ties to multiple extremist outfits.

Under the leadership of Noor Wali Mehsud, the TTP has regrouped and strengthened, with many of its members allegedly receiving training from camps once supported by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The group has increasingly targeted Pakistani military units and civilians, particularly members of the Shia community.

So far in 2025, at least 116 Pakistani soldiers have been killed in TTP-led attacks. This continues a deadly trend from 2024, when over 1,200 military and law enforcement personnel were killed across Pakistan in similar attacks, underscoring the persistent and escalating threat the TTP poses to the country's internal stability.