Kabul, Aug 20 (IANS) The Taliban militant group has condemned the targeted killing of many Afghan nationals in Pakistan.
The group claimed that the slain individuals were religious clerics, Khaama Press reported on Saturday.
According to Taliban group spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid, at least three clerics were killed in the past few days in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
They were identified as Mawlavi Hazrat Sahib, Mohammad Hanafi and Qari Syed Murad.
Calling the killing of the individuals as "cowardly", Mujahid said they were refugees and called on Pakistani authorities to ensure the safety of clerics in the country.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the killings.
This was not the first time that individuals with specific links to the Taliban group have been killed in Pakistan.
This comes as Afghan officials said the Taliban group leadership as well as the notorious Haqqani terrorist network leaderships were based in Peshawar and Quetta cities.
The Afghan officials have long been criticising Pakistan for not acting against the leadership councils of the Afghan militants on its soil which they use to plan and coordinate attacks in Afghanistan.