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Cracks emerge in TTP ranks
By: Shaiq Hussain
ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Taliban led by South Waziristan based
Baitullah Mehsud is no more a solidly unified entity as fissures and
cracks are emerging in its ranks and files.
“Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) of Baitullah Mehsud has not
responded strongly to the ongoing military operation in Swat as a
united organisation and whatever resistance that army is facing on
the ground is by Swati Taliban, foreign fighters and some splinter
Jihadi groups,” an official with knowledge of ongoing developments
in Swat said on Tuesday desiring not to be named.
He said that not only the TTP was experiencing differences in its
ranks but its leader was also facing another serious problem with a
tribal commander Qari Zainuddin challenging his absolute writ in the
Mehsud area of South Waziristan.
Qari Zainuddin had emerged as a strong militant leader and had been
able to exhibit his prowess well by carrying out some successful
attacks against the followers of Baitullah in his own domain, he
said.
According to official, Taliban from tribal areas did go to Swat to
help the Swati Taliban but that was much out of their own desire
than something organized from the platform of TTP.
He said the Taliban decision to engage no more in fighting with the
army in Mingora, as was announced by their spokesman in Swat Muslim
Khan, also reflected their weakness in face of the strong military
offensive.
“With little external help from the rest of the TTP, perhaps, the
Swati Taliban have decided to save their strength, retreat, regroup
and wait to reappear after the end of current testing time,” the
official said.
Another official here when contacted expressed his ignorance about
any intelligence information received in Islamabad that showed
divisions in the files of TTP.
However, he said that fewer suicide attacks in the wake of Swat
operation unlike their response to the past offensives reflected
that Taliban had weakened and so was their ability to retaliate
strongly as they did in the past.
The Nation:
May 27, 2009
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