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.
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.
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