Anti-TTP groups control Tank, DI Khan

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Iqbal Khattak
TANK: A masked boy no older than 10 years stopped the car for identification before letting it enter the street leading to a “recruitment centre” run by two anti-Baitullah Mehsud groups striving to inflict as much damage on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan as possible while “standing by the government”.

Following the clearance, the masked boy returned to his seat, resuming the task of polishing his heavy machinegun, and the car stopped close to the office with a ‘Pakistan Baitul Maal’ board hanging over the main entrance.

“Everyone has gone to attend Qari [Zainuddin’s] funeral,” said an armed guard aged around 12 years when asked for a meeting with the group commander.

Qari Zainuddin Mehsud – who led the ‘Abdullah Group’ and opposed Baitullah – was shot dead by his own guard in Dera Ismail Khan, neighbouring North Waziristan, the same day, June 24.

Armed members of two splinter groups of the TTP – the Abdullah and Turkistan factions – have replaced Baitullah’s group in both Tank and Dera Ismail Khan, according to locals and government officials.

“The two groups are proving really good for the government,” a senior official told Daily Times. He elaborated that the two splinter groups were hunting down every individual who had connections with Baitullah and awarding a mix of punishments – ranging from death to warnings – to neutralise the influence of the Taliban leader.

“Supporters (of Baitullah) are eliminated and other sympathisers … are just warned,” said the official.

“The two groups are very active here with good intelligence ... they will not let you live if you are a Baitullah aide,” he said. “With Tank no longer in his control, Baitullah has been pushed back inside Waziristan.” The way the members of the splinter groups conducted themselves in patrols and their handling of weapons, however, suggested they need better organisation and training to take on their much stronger opponent.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg7_40