Mehsud faction rejoins the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan

Mehsud faction rejoins the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan
BY BILL ROGGIO | February 4, 2017 | admin@longwarjournal.org | @billroggio


A faction of the Pakistani Taliban that broke away from the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan (TTP) in 2014 has rejoined the group, and its leader has been named the deputy emir of the TTP. The reunion is the latest in a series of moves that have brought wayward Taliban groups back into the TTP’s fold to help rebuild both its capacity and strength.

The TTP announced on Feb. 2 that the “Mehsud division,” which is also known as the Movement of the Taliban in South Waziristan and the Sajna or Khalid Mehsud Group, has rejoined the TTP, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which obtained an English language version of the statement.


Urdu language statement announcing the return of the Khalid Mehsud Group.


“Tehreek Taliban Pakistan [TTP] accepts the oath of allegiance of Mehsud Mujahideen under the esteemed Commander Khalid Mehsud Hafizahullah,” the TTP said. “TTP also declares that esteemed Commander Khalid Mehsud will be the representative of Mehsud division as well as deputy to the chief of TTP central Ameer Fazlullah Khorasani Hafizahullah.”

Khalid Mehsud is also known as Khan Said and Sajna Mehsud. He took control of the powerful Taliban faction after the death of Hakemullah Mehsud, the previous emir of the TTP. He declared the formation of the Movement of the Taliban in South Waziristan in 2014 and broke away from the TTP after a leadership dispute with Mullah Fazlullah. At the time of the split, the spokesman for Khalid’s group accused its parent organization of being “un-Islamic.” [See Discord dissolves Pakistani Taliban coalition.]

In its latest statement, the TTP said that Khalid Mehsud’s group returned after “the defection of the rogue elements to the rival parties.” SITE claims that this may be a reference to Khalifa Umar Mansour, who has conducted multiple attacks on Pakistani schools and other civilian institutions. The TTP has denounced some of Mansour’s attacks, but it is unclear if he has been expelled or if he withdrew from the parent organization.

The US added Mehsud to the list of specially designated global terrorists in October 2014. His forces are known to wage jihad in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The US has targeted his followers in airstrikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Feb. 2016, US warplanes struck a meeting in the Afghan province of Paktika that Mehsud was expected to attend. Eighteen of his followers were reported to have been killed. In April 2015, US drones killed four of Mehsud’s followers in a strike in South Waziristan.

Mehsud’s supporters have executed several high profile attacks in the region, including the May 2011 assault on Naval Station Mehran in Karachi that resulted in the destruction of two US-supplied P-3C Orion maritime surveillance planes, and the 2012 prison break in Bannu, which freed Adnan Rasheed, a commander who has a long history with Pakistani terrorist groups as well as al Qaeda. US intelligence officials who track the TTP and al Qaeda in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region have told FDD’s Long War Journal that Mehsud remains a close ally of al Qaeda to this day.

The TTP has attempted to reunite various factions that broke away in 2014 after the US killed Hakemullah in a drone strike. In March 2015, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a powerful faction, rejoined the TTP. However, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar has operated with a degree of autonomy. At the same time, Lashkar-e-Islam merged with the Taliban. Additionally, three jihadist groups, all which are led by al Qaeda leader Matiur Rehman, merged with the TTP in May 2015.

Not all of the groups that split with the TTP have rejoined its ranks. One group of disaffected mid-level leaders joined the Islamic State’s Khorasan Province. Another faction in North Waziristan, led by Sheheryar Mehsud, who was loyal to Hakeemullah and TTP founder Baitullah Mehsud, is still thought to operate independently.
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Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

Stick to the topic and don't make it personal.

Solomon2 said:

Mehsud faction rejoins the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan
BY BILL ROGGIO | February 4, 2017 | admin@longwarjournal.org | @billroggio


A faction of the Pakistani Taliban that broke away from the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan (TTP) in 2014 has rejoined the group, and its leader has been named the deputy emir of the TTP. The reunion is the latest in a series of moves that have brought wayward Taliban groups back into the TTP’s fold to help rebuild both its capacity and strength.

The TTP announced on Feb. 2 that the “Mehsud division,” which is also known as the Movement of the Taliban in South Waziristan and the Sajna or Khalid Mehsud Group, has rejoined the TTP, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which obtained an English language version of the statement.


Urdu language statement announcing the return of the Khalid Mehsud Group.


“Tehreek Taliban Pakistan [TTP] accepts the oath of allegiance of Mehsud Mujahideen under the esteemed Commander Khalid Mehsud Hafizahullah,” the TTP said. “TTP also declares that esteemed Commander Khalid Mehsud will be the representative of Mehsud division as well as deputy to the chief of TTP central Ameer Fazlullah Khorasani Hafizahullah.”

Khalid Mehsud is also known as Khan Said and Sajna Mehsud. He took control of the powerful Taliban faction after the death of Hakemullah Mehsud, the previous emir of the TTP. He declared the formation of the Movement of the Taliban in South Waziristan in 2014 and broke away from the TTP after a leadership dispute with Mullah Fazlullah. At the time of the split, the spokesman for Khalid’s group accused its parent organization of being “un-Islamic.” [See Discord dissolves Pakistani Taliban coalition.]

In its latest statement, the TTP said that Khalid Mehsud’s group returned after “the defection of the rogue elements to the rival parties.” SITE claims that this may be a reference to Khalifa Umar Mansour, who has conducted multiple attacks on Pakistani schools and other civilian institutions. The TTP has denounced some of Mansour’s attacks, but it is unclear if he has been expelled or if he withdrew from the parent organization.

The US added Mehsud to the list of specially designated global terrorists in October 2014. His forces are known to wage jihad in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The US has targeted his followers in airstrikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In Feb. 2016, US warplanes struck a meeting in the Afghan province of Paktika that Mehsud was expected to attend. Eighteen of his followers were reported to have been killed. In April 2015, US drones killed four of Mehsud’s followers in a strike in South Waziristan.

Mehsud’s supporters have executed several high profile attacks in the region, including the May 2011 assault on Naval Station Mehran in Karachi that resulted in the destruction of two US-supplied P-3C Orion maritime surveillance planes, and the 2012 prison break in Bannu, which freed Adnan Rasheed, a commander who has a long history with Pakistani terrorist groups as well as al Qaeda. US intelligence officials who track the TTP and al Qaeda in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region have told FDD’s Long War Journal that Mehsud remains a close ally of al Qaeda to this day.

The TTP has attempted to reunite various factions that broke away in 2014 after the US killed Hakemullah in a drone strike. In March 2015, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a powerful faction, rejoined the TTP. However, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar has operated with a degree of autonomy. At the same time, Lashkar-e-Islam merged with the Taliban. Additionally, three jihadist groups, all which are led by al Qaeda leader Matiur Rehman, merged with the TTP in May 2015.

Not all of the groups that split with the TTP have rejoined its ranks. One group of disaffected mid-level leaders joined the Islamic State’s Khorasan Province. Another faction in North Waziristan, led by Sheheryar Mehsud, who was loyal to Hakeemullah and TTP founder Baitullah Mehsud, is still thought to operate independently.
____
Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

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This cant be good news for Pakistan. After the recent Operation Zarb-e-Azb, the final and all-encompassing push against the terrorists of all hue, if TTP is allowed to gain momentum again, it could spell trouble for not just the economic corridor but also for over all economy and military strength that Pakistan has been trying to muster against aggression on eastern and western borders.

But looking at the timing, I cant decipher who or what motive could be behind this move. If true, Pakistan needs to start targeted intelligence ops to take out the leaadership of this newly re-inforced TTP. I am still interested in finding out intel assessments abt htis news, is it an honest effort by TTP to regroup or has this move been sponsored by Afghan intel and/or RAW to destabilize the CPEC corridor (as is widely believed by many Pakistanis)

thebaj said:

This cant be good news for Pakistan. After the recent Operation Zarb-e-Azb, the final and all-encompassing push against the terrorists of all hue, if TTP is allowed to gain momentum again, it could spell trouble for not just the economic corridor but also for over all economy and military strength that Pakistan has been trying to muster against aggression on eastern and western borders.

But looking at the timing, I cant decipher who or what motive could be behind this move. If true, Pakistan needs to start targeted intelligence ops to take out the leaadership of this newly re-inforced TTP. I am still interested in finding out intel assessments abt htis news, is it an honest effort by TTP to regroup or has this move been sponsored by Afghan intel and/or RAW to destabilize the CPEC corridor (as is widely believed by many Pakistanis)

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Perhaps its because Op. Zarb-e-Azb hit them so bad that they need to band together to survive.

ISI should focus on creating propaganda to distribute amongst the remaining fighters to further exploit divisions. They will be much easier to destroy with fewer resources and contacts to external sources.

Even when separate they were trying their level best to create terrorism... nothing changes by them being together in my view... same they will still be trying the same

Kash_Ninja said:

Perhaps its because Op. Zarb-e-Azb hit them so bad that they need to band together to survive.

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They rejoined for the welfare benefits?

Separate or together they are only a shadow of their former selves... this changes nothing... they have been in and out of alliances for ever

LOL Nothing but wishful thinking by an illegal settlement builder. These enemies have been red-faced and humiliated after Pakistan's massive success against their paid terrorists during Zarb-e-Azb. LOL today these terrorist supporters are themselves stuck in Syria and the Middle East. Failure upon failure greets them. They can't beat ISIS, but are worried about Pakistan LOL These are nothing, but the usual desperate fairy tales.

Solomon2 said:

They rejoined for the welfare benefits?

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More like the main factions getting the money and weapons (from certain countries), but this dudes getting nothing since they've been driven into the mountains.

Either he would have to surrender because they don't have any resources left, or make up with the main faction.

I imagine if he got caught he would spend the rest of his life in jail, or be executed.

This is a propaganda as the Afghan recently lifted UN sanctions from the butcher of Kabul and now they want TTP to be one and India to take more command but lets look it this way if this all is true soon TTP will house it's self with in India and we just need to flip the leader ship and make them work inside India to inflict most damage.

Soon he will be " Late Mehsood " Inshallah

Kash_Ninja said:

Perhaps its because Op. Zarb-e-Azb hit them so bad that they need to band together to survive.

ISI should focus on creating propaganda to distribute amongst the remaining fighters to further exploit divisions. They will be much easier to destroy with fewer resources and contacts to external sources.

Click to expand...

As far as propaganda goes, ISPR has been doing pretty well with that. They have turned the narrative in our favor and made the narrative a little more moderate where our armed forces can maneuver comfortably against such elements without being bashed in mosques and in friday sermons. Right now ISI's focus should be creating a force that can go after the overseas facilitators that have been wrecking havoc in Pakistan through these proxies. More like what Mossad did to the Palestinians who participated in the munich olympic crisis. Just to refresh everyone's memories, Mossad went after these people wherever they were even Europe and Middle East

What we are doing ?
where are our high and mighty claims? these dogs are moving freely getting full support from NDS and RAW....
our relationship with Afghanistan is already non-existing, why do we care what they say or feel ....why don't we do drone strike on these dogs ....or are our drones just for show or something ???
even if not drones or military action , we can at least use proxy or secret service to send these dogs to hell.... But they seems to be grouping nicely ....
have you not suffered enough from these dogs activities , we are in much better economic position then india in 1990s ....imagine what we are now if things would continue .....we have more support internationally on every issue and we are the destination of investments ....
now when we are just emerging from this dark cloud of terror , here they are regrouping again ....
1)we have not sealed the border yet , (once bitten ,twice shy ) but we seems to have learn nothing ....arrange funds , beg for aid , do something but seal the border .....we must tell s.a that we can help them better if we are not busy at home in internal conflicts ....it would be like " zerra in camels mouth for saudis."
everyone claims Nawaz is more tilted toward s.a and gulf countries , but throughout his tenure no investments , no business deals or agreements or help from gulf countries .....even in Musharraf times the co operation was ten fold to what it was now ....
2) do we even have any proxy , where is that haqqanis or the taliban , they are ready to kill Isis but not ttp ....we have loose so much for them , now is the time to repay.... Hain to afghani hi Na yeah bhi , afghani in whatever form is the biggest namak haram....
3)find your ground in afghanistan , there is enough bikao mal there , buy politicians and diplomats to at least develop some good will for Pakistan ... This ashraf ghani government has spread worst kind of venom against Pakistan , don't support them and try to bring a regime that is much closer to Pakistan ....
Taliban is not our only bet , we can also invest or create a new party , if our intellgence agencies are as intelligent as the world claims ...
4)an unstable afghanistan is always in favour of Pakistan , until we become strong enough to merge it with Pakistan ....that is the only solution to the afghan crisis , then the puktoons would be the largest ethic group in Pakistan .....we need economic stability and such as mess in afghanistan that merging it would be a relief to the world ...

BHarwana said:

This is a propaganda as the Afghan recently lifted UN sanctions from the butcher of Kabul and now they want TTP to be one and India to take more command but lets look it this way if this all is true soon TTP will house it's self with in India and we just need to flip the leader ship and make them work inside India to inflict most damage.

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I still don't know where and how India fits into all this.
TTP is your cancer. Please deal with it and stop blaming India for every little thing.

thebaj said:

As far as propaganda goes, ISPR has been doing pretty well with that. They have turned the narrative in our favor and made the narrative a little more moderate where our armed forces can maneuver comfortably against such elements without being bashed in mosques and in friday sermons. Right now ISI's focus should be creating a force that can go after the overseas facilitators that have been wrecking havoc in Pakistan through these proxies. More like what Mossad did to the Palestinians who participated in the munich olympic crisis. Just to refresh everyone's memories, Mossad went after these people wherever they were even Europe and Middle East

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it is just our wishful thinking .....
of course secret missions or operations are never disclosed but we have seen no target destroyed on afghan soil ....
all of the Ttp and other that escape Pak are regrouping and funded by RAW and NDS , which is even worse.....
if NDS pay an ounce of work on internal security rather then doing anti Pak activities , things would have been 100 times better in Afghanistan....
we have extended our hands towards them but actually dispite their government agreeing , NDS refused ....
the dog's like amerullah salleh and rehmatullah nabil , they deserved to be punished ..... And punished badly ....

Peshwa said:

I still don't know where and how India fits into all this.
TTP is your cancer. Please deal with it and stop blaming India for every little thing.

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oh you curious Indian ....
India doesn't have anything to do with finding ttp right, you only spread peace , right, by bullying smaller neighbours ....doing muslim genocide in india ....where as you NSA are openly admitting they are funding ttp....
all ttp leaders that are caught yet , have confused to Indian funding....they are no religious group , they are mercenaries hired by you ....but not any longer ....few that are left would be eliminated along with your Launchpad's ....afghans may have forgotten the meaning of hindukush but we haven't ....