The Afghan Taliban start expelling Pakistani Taliban from border areas, & relocate them to Ghazni province, aiming to prevent interference in Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban officially have been supporting TTP while assuring Pakistan they would not allow to operate from Afghan soil.
This dual policy has contributed to the deterioration of Taliban-Pakistan relations, which Pakistan has responded by ramping up economic pressure on the Taliban, including tightening transit trade rules, imposing bank guarantees, and expanding the list of restricted goods
On the other hand, relocation of TTP members & their families sparking criticism from pro-TTP social media member. However, they also criticized the Taliban’s current leadership for depriving them of their right to wage jihad and violate traditional code of hospitality.
Killing of Shahid Omer in Afghanistan
The relocation of development came, after Shahid Omar alias Raheem, a senior commander of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has been killed in Afghanistan. Shahid Omar, was considered a top commander of TTP, who was killed along with his three associates in the eastern province of Afghanistan.
Reported suggested that Shahid Omar was invited to a dinner by Qari Khalid, an Afghan government official in Kandahar, has shot him dead. So far, the rifts between Qari Khalid yet unknown, but the slain commander was highly wanted by Pakistan, with a bounty of one crore Pakistani currency placed on his head.
Shahid Omer was the nephew of maulvi Faqir Muhammad, one of the founders of TTP, and held an important position in the organization. Faqir Mohmand spent eight years in prison under the democratic Afghan government, and was released after Kabul takeover
In last few years, there are more than 10 commanders, which has been liquefied in Afghanistan, a bordering country with Pakistan. The slain commanders were the considered one of the top cadres in the banned organization of Tahreek Taliban Pakistan.
History of TTP Fighters Killed in Afghanistan
- On 19-Jun-2024 Javed Swati, top commander and closed aid to the Mufti Noor Wali Mahsud was shot dead by unknown persons in the Barkoti area of Paktika Barmal district. He was the shadow governor of Karachi in the TTP’s appointment for 2024.
- On 13 June 2024 Commander Abdul Manan alias Hakimullah was killed in Chaghasarai, Asadabad District, Kunar, Afghanistan.
- Abdul Wali Alias Omer Khalid Khorasani along with Hafiz Dawlat and Mufti Hassan were killed when their vehicle struck a roadside mine on 7 August 2022 in Barmal District, Paktika Province, Afghanistan.
- On 11 June, Khalid Balti, former spokesperson for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, has been killed in Nangarhar province.
- Yasir Parki killed on 22 august 2022 along with three others in Kandahar, Afghanistan
- On September 21, during an intelligence operation, TTP’s main commander Ubaidullah Janikhel was killed.
- On October 11, the most important commander of TTP, Atiqur Rehman alias Tipu Gul Marwat, was killed by unknown persons in Afghanistan’s Kunar province.
- On October 15, Commander Anwar Khan Khoga and Commander Tariq Pahlwan were shot dead by unknown persons in Afghanistan’s Kunar province.
- On October 23, another key TTP commander, Shahran Waziristani, was killed in Khost area of Afghanistan
- On October 23, TTP commander Rasool Khan Gujar alias Maulvi Zubair was killed in Batikot area of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan.
- On November 5, Lashkar-e-Islam commander Fazal Amin was executed in Nangarhar.
Since fall of Kabul, the situation is getting complex and difficult for both the bordering counters like Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The both neighboring countries accusing each other for supporting terrorism and their land against each other
Pakistan Stance
Pakistan blamed, the government of Afghanistan that the Tahreek Taliban Pakistan operatives infiltrate Pakistan from Afghanistan and carry out operations and retreat back to Afghanistan. In the press briefing of foreign office of Pakistan, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch claim that the Afghan Taliban are facilitating Tahreek Taliban Pakistan in Afghanistan.
The spokesperson of Pakistan’s foreign office also blamed Afghanistan for the resurgence in terrorism across Pakistan and specifically in the Tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Pakistan government has blamed the Taliban led government in Afghanistan said that the Afghan Taliban completely failed to control the ban outfit of Tahreek Taliban Pakistan.
However, the Pakistan has numerous times warrened Afghanistan to take action or get ready for the consequences like drone attacks on the TTP hideouts in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan Stance
The Islamic Emirate led government in Afghanistan denying Pakistan accusation saying that Tahreek Taliban Pakistan is Pakistan’s internal issue. The Afghan government is repeating in the media that the Afghanistan’s territory will not be used against neighboring nations across the world.
Responding the last press briefing of Pakistan’s foreign office, the Taliban led government saying that the Pakistan Refuges, living in Afghanistan are remaining in camps, which is established in Khost area of Afghanistan.
The Taliban commenting that the refuges that flew during Pakistan military operation from the tribal districts of Pakistan, have no TTP affiliations or weaponry, and are following international refugee protocols.
However, the government of Afghanistan accusing Pakistan that the bordering country are supporting ISKP fighters by providing financial support and training camps in Pakistan
International Community
In the latest report of United nations on terrorism has said that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an alliance of extremist groups, is “the largest terrorist group” in Afghanistan. The global organization explained that TTP receives growing support from the Taliban led government of Afghanistan, who carried cross-border attacks in Pakistan.
The U.N. sanctions monitoring team released the assessment amid a dramatic surge in TTP-led terror attacks against Pakistani security forces and civilians, killing hundreds of them in recent months. The global monitoring organization said that TTP continues to operate at a significant scale in Afghanistan and to conduct terrorist operations into Pakistan from there, often utilizing Afghans,
However, the report has further mentioned that the globally designated terrorist group, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, is operating in Afghanistan with an estimated strength of 6,000-6,500 fighters.
TTP Stance
Tahreek Taliban Pakistan several times denying Pakistan accusing of operating from Afghanistan said that we are present in Pakistan and operate from inside Pakistan.
The banned outfit in the statement said that we are carrying attacks on security forces from inside Pakistan and the testimonial is that our fighters are also has been killed in Pakistan
In the statement, the banned outfit referring to the videos shared on social media, where they can see in the tribal district of Pakistan.
TTP Admitted Shahid Omer Death
On the other side, for the first time, an unofficial media affiliated with Tahreek Taliban Pakistan confirmed the killing of Shahid Omar, one of its key members. In the statement, the banned outfit without mentioning the location of his death blamed an enemy for his killing.
TTP admitted Omer Qurashi death and acknowledged his leadership skills and called it a loss to the banned organization. In the statement, he was been mentioned the member of the military commission for the North Zone of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In response to the killing of TTP commander Shahid Omar Bajauri, TTP has arrested Qari Khalid and demolished his house with a bomb blast in retaliation. This is the first time TTP has bombed and destroyed an opponent’s home in Afghanistan.
Relocation of Tahreek Taliban Pakistan
So far, the relocation has not yet been confirmed by the both officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan, but report suggested that the resettlement of TTP fighters is due to successful air and ground strikes by the Pakistan in Afghanistan.
The Afghan Taliban has promised and constricted residential settlements named the Ghazni Teachers’ Residential Township, originally built for homeless teachers, now converted to a TTP settlement, composed a military base, training base and religious school.