Pakistan Army Officer Who Claimed Abhinandan’s Capture Killed in Encounter with TTP

Major Moiz Abbas Shah, a 37-year-old Pakistan Army officer, who had claimed to have captured Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in 2019, has been killed in a gunfight with terrorists from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

 

 

The encounter took place in South Waziristan, a region in Pakistan’s tribal belt, during an anti-terror operation. Major Moiz was part of Pakistan Army’s Special Service Group (SSG) and was leading the operation when he was shot dead. A soldier, Lance Naik Jibranullah, also got killed in the same encounter, as confirmed by the Pakistan Army.

 

 

In 2019, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by the Pakistan military during a tense standoff between India and Pakistan. This happened soon after the Pulwama terror attack, when India carried out airstrikes in Balakot. Abhinandan was flying a MiG-21 fighter jet and was involved in an air battle with Pakistani jets. His plane was shot down, and he ejected into Pakistan-occupied territory where he was taken into custody. He was later released and returned to India.