MARDAN: Police have confirmed that four men abducted earlier this month by the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the Katlang area of Mardan district have been found dead.
The victims had been accused of espionage by the militant group.
Law enforcement officials reported that the bodies were recovered from a remote area on Friday night, following tip-offs from residents. Authorities have not released the identities of the deceased, pending confirmation and family notifications.
Initial investigations suggest the men were accused by TTP militants of acting as informants for security forces in the region, which has recently seen a spike in militant activity and counter-terror operations. The circumstances of their deaths and the exact timeline of the abductions remain under investigation.
This development comes in the aftermath of a controversial military operation launched in late March in the same Katlang Tehsil. That operation, purportedly aimed at eliminating TTP hideouts, led to significant public outrage amid reports that several civilians, including women and children, were among those killed.
Local protests and demands for a judicial inquiry have since placed mounting pressure on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and military authorities.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has previously acknowledged civilian casualties from the March operation and announced a compensation package along with promises of accountability. However, the recent killings have reignited fears over deteriorating security conditions in the region.
Security has since been tightened in Katlang and surrounding areas, and further search operations are underway. Police say they are working to ascertain whether the killings are linked to the broader unrest and anti-militancy actions launched earlier this year.
Human rights groups and political leaders have called for an independent investigation into the growing number of civilian deaths and militant reprisals in Mardan district, urging transparency and protection for non-combatants caught in the conflict.
