ISLAMABAD - Following successful military operations against them in the tribal areas of the country, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Jamaatul Ahrar (JuA) and Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI) on Thursday announced forging an alliance for their ‘survival’ and vowed to carry out joint missions under the banner of TTP (Taliban’s mother coalition).
“TTP, TTP-JuA and LeI have formed a strong coalition to fight against democratic, infidel and un-Islamic system,” said senior Taliban commander Ehsanullah Ehsan in a statement. “This decision was taken by the leaders of all the three jihadi groups – Fazlullah Khorasani, Omar Khalid Khorasani and Mangal Bagh – in a joint consultative meeting,” he said.
Giving details about their future plans and roles of different commanders in the organisation, he said, “An organising committee was formed which will make a central supreme council (Rehbari Shura) and an organising body in few days”.
According to the militant commander, rift among the militants had surfaced due to the involvement of some ‘hidden enemies’ but in future the militants will “not let the conspiracies” of the opponents succeed. He also disclosed that in the recent actions of the forces four militant commanders of JuA including Shakeel Ahmad Haqqani were killed. He was very important commander of Pakistani Taliban who once worked as the head of central shura of Hakimullah-led TTP.
Doctor Tariq Ali aka Abu Obaidah al Islamabadi was another commander who according to the statement was killed by the Pakistani secret agencies. “The revenge of these commanders will be taken by TTP jointly,” he warned.
Muhammad Khurassani, the official spokesperson of Mullah Fazlullah also confirmed the making of new coalition and said “the three powerful factions have been united”. According to him in the first joint venture they will investigate elements behind the killing of “four members of JuA” and take “renege”.
Over differences with Fazlullah-led TTP, JuA emerged in August 2014 as a new militant faction. Although Qasim Khurassani was named as the head of the group, Omar Khalid Khurassani was the real man behind the group who run its affairs.
In October 2014, when military operation Khyber-1 was launched against warlord Mangal Bagh-led group in Khyber Agency, both TTP and JuA had announced their supports to the LeI. However, relations between JuA and TTP remained tense and both groups alleged each other of indulging in anti-Shariah activities.