Pakistan Army Major who claimed Abhinandan Varthaman’s capture killed in encounter with TTP

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, June 25, 2025: Major Moiz Abbas Shah, the Pakistani officer who had claimed to have captured Indian Air Force Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman in 2019, was killed on Tuesday in a major assault by the terrorist group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The attacks on the Pakistani Army in South Waziristan’s Sargodha and Kurram areas come at a time when Pakistan is facing growing unrest with terrorists in its own territory, despite its history of supporting terror groups.

According to sources, the TTP’s attacks resulted in the deaths of 14 Pakistani personnel, including Major Shah. Meanwhile, some pro-Pakistan social media accounts have claimed that six personnel, including Shah, were killed in the Sargodha clash.

According to a report by Dawn, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that Pakistani security forces carried out an intelligence-based operation (IBO) on June 24, 2025, in Sararogha following reports of the presence of militants.

The statement claimed that during the operation, troops targeted the militant hideout, killing 11 individuals and injuring seven others.

The ISPR confirmed that Major Syed Moiz Abbas Shah, 37, from Chakwal, and Lance Naik Jibran Ullah, 27, from Bannu, were killed in the exchange of fire. Major Moiz, who was leading the mission, was praised for his bravery and his role in multiple operations against the group. The statement added that clearance operations were ongoing to eliminate any remaining militants in the area.

The Dawn reported that in July 2024, the Pakistani government officially labeled the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as Fitna-al-Khawarij and directed all state institutions to refer to those involved in terrorist acts against Pakistan as Khariji—a term meaning outcast.

What Brought Major Syed Moiz Abbas Shah To Limelight In 2019

Major Syed Moiz Abbas Shah rose to attention in 2019 after claiming credit for capturing Indian Air Force pilot Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman during an aerial dogfight following Indian strikes on terror bases in Balakot. The capture followed a fierce aerial clash on February 27, during which Varthaman’s MiG-21 Bison was shot down after he brought down a Pakistani F-16. He was later returned to India by Pakistan on the night of March 1, 2019.

The dogfight occurred a day after Indian Air Force jets carried out an airstrike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed training facility in Balakot. The strike came in response to the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel. On February 27, Pakistan launched a counteroffensive, attempting to strike Indian military installations in response to the Balakot airstrike.