Five dead as cash van-robbing TTP factions clash

More details have emerged of a deadly clash between two factions of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) which left five terrorists dead in DI Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Sources told The Express Tribune that the clash took place between the Gandapur and Marwat group of TTP. As a result of the clash, two members of the Gandapur group and three members of the Marwat group were killed.

Serious differences arouse between the two groups over the distribution of money after robbing cash vans from different banks.

Sources said that these two TTP groups were involved in robbing bank vans on Dera-Peshawar Road, Tank-Dera Road, Daraban-Dera Road, Daraban and Kulachi areas.

The disagreement over the distribution of the looted cash escalated from a verbal altercation into a full-scale armed confrontation. As a result of the clash, the commander of the Marwat group of the banned TTP, Sifat alias Ghazi Ashna, a resident of Jabokhel, along with his associate Naveed alias Khanzala Ghaznikhel, and another companion, was killed.

Two members of the Gandapur group were also killed. According to reports from the authorities, the bodies of the slain terrorists were buried by their comrades on the spot.

Taliban commander Sifat alias Ghazi Ashna, Naveed alias Khanzala, and their associates were wanted by the Dera Ismail Khan and Tank police in various cases of terrorism.

One of the most notable incidents involving these TTP groups was at the beginning of this month when an armoured vheilce carrying bank cash was taken away by militants, along with five security guards, on the border of DI Khan and Tank districts.

The vehicle was carrying Rs50 million and five guards and suddenly lost contact with its headquarters. A TTP social media page released a statement regarding the release of the security guards.

According to the police, the van was going from Multan to South Waziristan. Suddenly, the van lost contact. Later, after investigation, it was found that the van has been hijacked with cash and guards.

TTP claimed responsibility and said that the guards would be released. However, the police did not confirm this as there is no information about the location of the van, cash and security guards.

It may be mentioned here that a van carrying cash was also taken away with cash and staff from Daraban area a month ago.