Pakistan: Taliban split into two factions in Bajaur Agency

Dawn ^ | Tuesday, July 29, 2008 | Hasbanullah Khan

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

KHAR: Taliban in the Bajaur tribal district split into two factions after infighting between two militant organisations in Mohmand Agency led to the killing of eight members of one group on July 18.

Pro-Baitullah Mehsud Taliban leader Umer Khalid killed eight members from the Shah Sahib militant group, including its chief and deputy chief, on July 18.

“We, four commanders, are resigning from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) over the killing of mujahideen in Mohmand Agency,” Salar Masood, a spokesman for the four commanders, told Daily Times on Monday. “We will form our own group – Tehreek-e-Taliban Al Jihad – to continue jihad against the United States,” Masood said on the phone from an undisclosed location in the Bajaur region. Maulvi Munir, Dr Abdul Wahab and Maulvi Abdul Hameed are the three other commanders who left the TTP.

“Innocent mujahideen were killed in Mohmand. This is against shariah. Mujahideen do not kill innocent people,” Masood said. He charged the Baitullah Mehsud-led TTP with “deviating” from the real cause of fighting the Americans inside Afghanistan. “We took up the matter with Baitullah Mehsud but he did not take our concern seriously,” he said.

The rift between the Taliban, according to observers, would weaken Baitullah Mehsud. They believe the infighting among militant organisations would help the government exploit the situation.

“Taliban leader in Bajaur Maulvi Faqir must be upset at this development because the four commanders are quite influential,” the observers said on condition of anonymity.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

H/T to the Strata Sphere blog:

Civil War Breaking Out Amongst Pak Taliban???

[tobyhill]

If true is Obama going to blame Bush for the Civil War?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

I simply luv red-on-red action!

[null and void]

Green-on-green

Warms my heart, it does.

[SunkenCiv]

Split in an agency? What’d they do, put tape down the middle of the floor? ;’)

Thanks Ernest.

[Red Badger]

This goat’s for you, this goat’s for me................

[johnnycap]

Welcome to the Taliban! We’re so glad to have you as a new member. We are not a hard organization to figure out. Think of us as the Sopranos, with head scarfs.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

ROFL!

[agere_contra]

Mujahideen do not kill innocent people

Aha, here we see once again Islamic parsing of the word 'innocent'. Anyone who is not a fervent member of your own strain of murderous Mohammedanism is automatically not an innocent. Their deaths are ordained by Allah.

[Marine_Uncle]

“We will form our own group – Tehreek-e-Taliban Al Jihad – to continue jihad against the United States,” Masood said on the phone from an undisclosed location in the Bajaur region. Maulvi Munir, Dr Abdul Wahab and Maulvi Abdul Hameed are the three other commanders who left the TTP."

I do hope accurate GPS coordinates are being gathered as to where they move about, bed down, and perform ahem, civic duties, so that when the time is right Bill Roggio shall have a little more to put to print at LWJ.

[NormsRevenge]

Good news.

[redstateconfidential]

Sing it daddy-Os, Kickin it Taliban 4 th century Ole Madras style!

[AdmSmith]

"We will form our own group – Tehreek-e-Taliban Al Jihad"