Wed Jun 25 15:41:37 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
A Pakistani special forces officer, Major Syed Muiz, who claimed to have captured Indian fighter pilot Abhinandan Varthaman during the 2019 Balakot airstrike, has reportedly been killed by the Tehreek-i-Taliban-Pakistan (TTP). Major Muiz was killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The Balakot airstrikes were India’s response to the Pulwama terror attack by Jaish-e-Mohammed, which resulted in the death of 40 Indian soldiers. Wing Commander (now Group Captain) Varthaman was captured after shooting down a Pakistani F-16 and ejecting over Pakistani-controlled territory. He was later released due to international pressure.
**News Article:**
**Pakistani Officer Who Claimed Capture of Abhinandan Varthaman Killed by TTP**
*Islamabad, Pakistan* – Major Syed Muiz, a Pakistani special forces officer who claimed to have captured Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman during the tense aftermath of the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, has reportedly been killed by the Tehreek-i-Taliban-Pakistan (TTP), according to sources speaking to NDTV.
Major Muiz, belonging to the Pak Special Service Group’s 6th Commando Battalion, was reportedly killed in the Sarargoha area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, with the TTP, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, claiming responsibility.
The Balakot airstrikes were conducted by India in retaliation for the Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 Indian soldiers were killed by a suicide bomber trained by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). The strikes targeted JeM training camps across the Line of Control.
During the aerial combat that followed, then Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot down a Pakistani F-16 with his MiG-21 before being forced to eject over Pakistani-controlled territory. He was captured by Pakistani forces and held for nearly 60 hours before being released due to intense diplomatic pressure from India and the international community. Varthaman was later promoted to Group Captain and awarded the Vir Chakra for his bravery.
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