Militant infighting kills 17 in Iraq’s Kirkuk

KIRKUK: Militants who fought together to capture swathes of Iraqi territory have turned their weapons on each other during clashes in Kirkuk province that cost 17 lives, sources said Saturday.

The fighting erupted on Friday evening between the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the Army of the Men of the Naqshbandiyah Order (JRTN) in Hawija, in Kirkuk province, said the sources.

There were differing accounts as to what sparked the firefight, which is a potential sign of the fraying of the Sunni insurgent alliance that has overrun vast stretches of territory north of Baghdad in less than two weeks.

One security official said JRTN fighters had refused an ISIL demand to give up their weapons and pledge allegiance to the jihadist force.

Witnesses, however, told the two sides clashed over who would take over multiple fuel tankers in the area.

Analysts have noted that while the insurgents, who are led by ISIL but also include a litany of other groups including loyalists of now-executed dictator Saddam Hussein, have formed a wide alliance, it is unclear if the broader grouping can hold together given their disparate ideologies.

ISIL espouses an extremist interpretation of Islam and wants to establish an Islamic state, whereas other armed groups have political differences with the regime in Baghdad, suggesting the alliance could eventually break down.

"If history repeats itself, then ISIL, because it´s got a transnational goal of a caliphate, because it´s radical, because it´s got this ludicrously absurd... approach to Islam, they can´t help but break that coalition," said Toby Dodge, head of the Middle East Centre at the London School of Economics.

ISIL, which is seen as the most capable militant group in Iraq, has for months clashed with groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad in neighbouring Syria, where it also operates and where it is seen as far more extremist than even Al-Qaeda´s front group in the country.

 

Taliban 'master bomber' gunned down amid deadly infighting

NEW YORK: A suicide bombing "mastermind" in the Pakistan Taliban has been gunned down and killed in the country's northeastern tribal region, just days after a major faction in the militant group announced it was breaking away over ideological differences, says a US TV report.

Gunmen riding in a car attacked Ashiqullah Mehsud, a senior commander in the leadership of the group known formally as the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), in the village of Urmuz in North Waziristan on Thursday before speeding off, sources told US TV.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, while the TTP has yet to issue a statement.

Mehsud was viewed as a successor to Qari Hussain Mehsud, the militant group's explosives expert whose notoriety includes allegedly recruiting children as suicide bombers.

The Pakistan Taliban has been beset with months of deadly infighting, culminating in an announcement early this month by the group's Mehsud faction that it would be going its own way after failing to convince the leadership to give up what it said were "un-Islamic" practices, such as attacks in public places, extortion and kidnappings.

It's the first split since the TTP -- a coalition of militant groups -- was founded in 2007, seeking to establish its version of sharia law across Pakistan, the report said.

Tensions within the TTP escalated after the group's leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in November last year, setting off a power struggle among top commanders of the TTP that led to violent clashes in which dozens of people were killed.

Appointed by a tribal council, Mullah Fazlullah has stood at the helm of the TPP since Mehsud's death. He hails from the country's Swat valley and is the first TTP leader who is not a Mehsud. He has struggled to contain the internal frictions among the group's factions, especially those within the Mehsud tribe, which makes up the majority of the TTP.

In a statement released last month, Azam Tariq, a spokesman for the breakaway Mehsuds, said the TTP leadership had "fallen into the hands of a bunch of conspirators ... involved in criminal activities like robbery and extortion."

 

Mullah Omar wants TTP to end infighting, join spring offensive

ISLAMABAD: The latest call by the ameer of the Afghan Taliban Mullah Mohammad Omar to the Pakistani Taliban to end their infighting in South Waziristan is actually aimed at securing their support against foreign troops in Afghanistan to launch the annual spring offensive with full force which is about to begin with the end of the winter season.

As bloody clashes intensify between two major factions of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan led by Khalid Mehsud alias Said Khan Sajna and Sheharyar Mehsud alias Shahbaz to capture the command of the Taliban in South Waziristan, Mullah Omar has appealed to the militants in a pamphlet [written in Pashto and distributed in the Miramshah area of North Waziristan on April 14] to work out their differences and end their internal strife.

It is for the first time that such a pamphlet has been distributed in Pakistan on behalf of Mullah Omar who is the supreme leader of both the Afghan and the Pakistani Taliban.

The pamphlet states that all the Muslims and particularly the Mujahideen are informed about the serious differences and clashes between two Mehsud Mujahideen groups. Mentioning verses from the Holy Quran, Mullah Omar has been quoted in the pamphlet as asking the people to recite it 100 times a day so that the hostilities between the warring militant groups of Mehsud tribe could come to an end.

According to well-informed diplomatic circles in Islamabad, the ameer of the Afghan Taliban’s call to the Pakistani Taliban for a truce between the two key warring factions has confirmed earlier reports that Mullah Omar had used his influence to persuade the TTP ameer Mullah Fazlullah for initiating peace talks with the Pakistan government primarily to prevent a Pakistani military action in Waziristan before the withdrawal of the US-led Allied Forces from

Afghanistan. The ameer of the Afghan Taliban was of the view that instead of wasting their energies in battling with Pakistan Army, the Taliban on both sides of the Pak-Afghan border should prepare themselves for a decisive battle in Afghanistan after the American withdrawal for the revival of the Taliban Emirates of Afghanistan.

Mullah Omar had been influencing the Pakistani Taliban in the past as well by using his influence with TTP leadership to help broker numerous peace deals with the Taliban in the tribal belt. The authority of Mullah Omar, who has been in hiding ever since the fall of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan in 2001, extends beyond the Pak-Afghan border as the Pakistani Taliban also recognize him as their supreme leader, being their Ameerul Momineen, just like the Afghan Taliban. Therefore, Mullah Omar’s anguish over TTP’s infighting is but natural which has forced him to ask the Pakistani Taliban to end their infighting in South Waziristan. The TTP leadership also realises the fact that the current infighting was weakening their position with every passing day at a time when they are holding talks with the Pakistan government being the representative of the Pakistani Taliban.

Diplomatic circles in Islamabad believe that the TTP’s ongoing talks with the PML-N government were a tactical ploy to ensure a short-term truce which would be used to whole-heartedly support the Afghan Taliban in their upcoming spring offensive against the US-led allied forces stationed in Afghanistan. A spring offensive is launched every year by the Afghan Taliban after the winter season is over. In fact, due to harsh weather conditions, the Taliban slowdown their military activities and resume it as the spring approaches and the weather conditions improve. As yet another spring approaches, another offensive is being planned. But the Afghan Taliban believe that unlike in the previous spring offensives since they were booted out of power from Afghanistan, they are better placed than before, especially when the US-led coalition forces are scheduled to withdraw from Afghanistan by 2014.

The Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan, led by Mullah Omar, are still a strong force and are openly mocking the Nato and Isaf troops by saying that they are fleeing their country in disgrace and humiliation. To recall, the TTP had struck a clandestine peace deal with the Pakistani establishment in January 2013, before the start of the spring offensive that year, as per which the Taliban had agreed that they won’t attack the Pakistani security forces in the Fata. The deal was motivated by Mullah Omar who wanted to unite all the Taliban groups in Waziristan on a single platform to reorient the direction of their battle away from Pakistan and towards the allied forces in Afghanistan.

Subsequently, the Shura-e-Muraqaba, an anti-US war body consisting of five key al-Qaeda-linked Afghan Taliban groups, was launched. The five members of the Shura included the Afghan Taliban led by Mullah Mohammad Omar, the Haqqani Militant Network led by Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Tehrik-e-Taliban led by Hakimullah Mehsud and two more groups of militants led by the South Waziristan-based Maulvi Nazir and the North Waziristan-based Hafiz Gul Bahadar. The TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan had made public the formation of the Shura through a press release, saying all the militant groups have reposed their confidence in Mullah Omar’s leadership and accepted him as the consensus leader of Afghanistan. He had added that the unity among the militants came after a call by Mullah Omar, telling the Pakistani Taliban to stop fighting at home to join the battle to liberate Afghanistan.

Ehsanullah had said the TTP would send its fighters to Afghanistan after March for waging jehad against the US-led “infidel” forces.

“Convey my message to the Pakistani Taliban that you have forgotten the real purpose, which is to fight the US-led invading forces in Afghanistan and liberate it from their occupation. Forget all your differences and give us fighters to boost the battle against America in Afghanistan”, a reported statement by Mullah Omar had cautioned the TTP leadership at that time.

However, what remained hidden was finally made public by Commander Sirajuddin Haqqani, the chief operational commander of the Haqqani network who conceded the existence of a peace deal with the Pakistani security establishment as per which the Pakistan Taliban, Afghan Taliban, Haqqani network and Maulvi Nazir and Hafiz Gul Bahadur groups won’t attack the Pakistani troops and instead they would focus their attention on the Allied Forces. The revelation came in a statement by Sirajuddin Haqqani, directing the Pakistani Taliban to stop attacking the Pakistani security forces in accordance with a peace deal, thus giving credence to media reports that the militants and the military have struck a clandestine ceasefire. Sirajuddin had issued these directives as the ameer of the Shura-e-Muraqaba.

Shortly afterwards, the spring offensive was launched with multiple attacks targeting Western embassies, the Nato force’s headquarters as well as the parliament building in Kabul. As the spring of 2014 has almost approached, the TTP is already busy holding talks with the Pakistan government amid reports that the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan have secretly agreed to focus on carrying out operations in Afghanistan, with Pakistani militants announcing a ceasefire with their government in order to preserve militant bases used to stage cross-border attacks. An Afghan military commander Major General Sharif Yaftali has already blamed Pakistan on April 12 for exporting terrorism to Afghanistan.

The current level of relationship between the Pakistani Taliban and the Afghan Taliban was well-described by TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid on October 6, 2013 in these words: “The Afghan Taliban not only financially support the Pakistani Taliban in their war with Islamabad but they also provide them sanctuary in Afghanistan. The Afghan Taliban are our jehadi brothers. In the beginning, we were helping them. But now they are strong enough to support us financially”, said Shahidullah Shahid while conceding that Mullah Fazlullah is being given shelter in Kunar province by the Afghan Taliban.

Taliban infighting puts talks, ceasefire on backburner

 

PESHAWAR: The central Shura of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Monday held a marathon meeting for resolving its internal issues and assessing the talks with the government but couldn’t reach any decision.
Taliban sources said that senior Taliban leaders convened an emergency meeting of the Shura to find an immediate solution to the clashes between two Mehsud militant factions of the TTP in different areas of South Waziristan.

Pleading anonymity, a senior member of the TTP said the Taliban leadership was upset and worried about the serious differences and clashes between the two factions and wanted to first resolve its internal issues before holding talks with the government.

“Today, they all spoke about the internal issues of the Taliban, particularly the ongoing clashes between the two Mehsud Taliban factions. Two long sessions of the Shura were held and the last one continued till late night but couldn’t reach a conclusion,” said the TTP commander.

He said though the TTP leadership wanted to discuss other issues such as an extension in the ceasefire and talks with the government but it was decided that the issue of infighting between the groups was more important than negotiations. “Therefore, they would only focus on how to end the killing of their people in South Waziristan. It is a struggle for power. It has worried the TTP leadership, particularly its Ameer Mullah Fazlullah,” the Taliban commander said.

Another member of the TTP Shura said they would meet again on Tuesday to help end the fighting and distrust between the two senior Mehsud commanders.Wishing not to be named, he said differences had emerged between the Mehsud Taliban leaders, Khan Said alias Sajna and Shehryar Mehsud, after the Shura of TTP’s South Waziristan chapter nominated Sajna as its Ameer following the death of Waliur Rahman in a US drone attack in Miranshah, North Waziristan.

Shehryar Mehsud, who was affiliated with Hakimullah Mehsud, didn’t accept him as the leader of the Mehsud Taliban as the-then TTP head Hakimullah Mehsud had not approved his status officially.

“After the subsequent killing of Hakimullah Mehsud in a US drone attack in Miranshah, Shehryar Mehsud said he would not accept Sajna as the leader of the Mehsud Taliban. He asked the TTP Shura to nominate another Ameer for South Waziristan. This led to heavy clashes between the groups in which both sides lost dozens of fighters,” the Taliban leader explained.

He said the Shura had strictly directed both the factions to stop the fighting and wait for its decision on the status of the new Ameer for South Waziristan.“The TTP central Shura may appoint either of them as the new Ameer of the Mehsud Taliban or select a third person to resolve this issue that caused serious damage to the Taliban unity. The Shura would then send recommendations to the TTP chief Mullah Fazlullah to make the final decision, which both the factions would have to follow in letter and spirit,” the TTP Shura member said.

He noted that after resolving their internal issues, the TTP would think about an extension in the ceasefire and further rounds of talks with the government. Agencies add: Yousaf Shah, the coordinator of Taliban negotiating team, has dismissed the impression of a deadlock in the government-Taliban talks and hoped for making a headway in the ongoing peace process.

Talking to a private TV channel, Shah said soon there would be developments in negotiations between the Taliban and government committees. He said the release of “non-combatants” would make the talks purposeful.

He said the Taliban committee was in contact with the Taliban leadership as well as the federal government and the government team.To a question about the ceasefire, he said the government-Taliban truce would go on. He said a meeting between the Taliban and government intermediaries was likely in a couple of days.

The outlawed TTP has agreed to extend the ceasefire, which had expired on April 10.The decision was taken by the Taliban Shura at a meeting in North Waziristan region on Monday.

According to a private television channel, the Taliban factions have given their consent to extend the ceasefire. A formal announcement in this regard will be made by the group’s spokesman Shahidullah Shahid.

The TTP Shura also deliberated upon the release of non-military detainees and talks with the government.Sources say that various Taliban factions expressed reservations on the government’s refusal to set up a peace zone in the tribal region.

TTP commanders move to end infighting

PESHWAR: Taliban commanders have redoubled their efforts to bring about a lasting ceasefire between two rival factions of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in South Waziristan Agency (SWA), the BBC reported on Saturday.

Some sources claimed that the two warring factions had ceased fire; however, this couldn’t be verified independently.According to reports received from South Waziristan, TTP senior commanders on Saturday met Commander Khan Said alias Sajna and Commander Sheharyar separately and asked them to end the fighting.

Local sources said some JUI-F MNAs and senators were also using their good offices to ensure a ceasefire to prevent further loss of life on both sides.Meanwhile, talking to media representatives, TTP Commander Azam Tariq claimed that the two warring factions had ceased the fighting that had led to scores of deaths on both sides due to some misunderstanding.Tariq contested media reports about the number of fatalities.It was also reported that not a single skirmish had taken place in South Waziristan from dawn to dusk on Saturday.