Taliban's former spokesman surrenders: Pakistan Army

Ehsanullah Ehsan, former spokesman of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and a senior leader of a splinter Taliban terror group has surrendered to the security agencies, Pakistan Army announced on Monday.

Ehsan, a top leader of the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar terror group, had turned himself in to Pakistan's security agencies, Military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor told reporters. A known face of violence in Pakistan as former spokesman of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Ehsan joined IS linked Jamaat-ul-Ahrar outfit after 2014 military operation 'Zarb-e-Azb'. 

Major General Ghafoor said that it was big achievement for Pakistan that "our biggest enemies" were surrendering. "I want to take this opportunity to announce that Ehsanullah Ehsan, the former spokesperson of the TTP and a leader of the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, has turned himself into our security agencies," he told reporters. He did not share more details about the surrender.

In 2014, after a split in the TTP, Ehsan had become a spokesperson for the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar - what was then a newly- formed splinter group of the Taliban. Ehsan had said at the time that 70 to 80 per cent of the TTP commanders and fighters had also joined the splinter group.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar was behind the horrific attack on Lahore's Mall Road earlier this year, which sent shock waves through the country. Thirteen people were killed and over 100 injured in the attack, which targeted top police officials. On March 31, Jamaat-ul-Ahraar claimed responsibility of an attack in Parachinar that killed 24 and injured 68 people.

Major General Ghafoor said operation 'Radd-ul Fassad' launched in February against militants was going on successfully and no militant groups would be spared. He said 15 major operation were carried out as part of it and 108 militants were killed and 4,510 suspects arrested.

"The people, the state and the institutions of Pakistan have made considerable progress in the betterment of the country's security situation. We will completely destroy militancy," he said. He also said the military courts had decided 274 cases and awarded death sentence to 161 militants. He said border with Afghanistan was being fenced to stop infiltration of militants from across the border.

Source: Timesofoman