Fighting in South Waziristan: TTP blame forces for launching operation

DERA ISMAIL KHAN/ PESHAWAR/ ISLAMABAD:

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claims that security forces have launched an operation in South Waziristan Agency and fighting has been ongoing for the last two days.

“The security forces are using helicopter gunships and heavy artillery to target TTP positions in the Bobar area,” Taliban Political Shura member Azam Tariq Mehsud told journalists by the phone from an undisclosed location on Wednesday.

He claimed that the security forces have suffered heavy casualties in the fighting. The claim, however, could not be verified independently because the area is inaccessible to journalists.

“Whenever the Taliban show seriousness in peace talks, the security forces launch operations against them,” Tariq said and also accused the security forces of torturing their colleagues in custody.

“We had declared a unilateral ceasefire for the success of peace talks,” he added. “Now, the ball is in the government’s court. It is for them to arrange the ‘negotiation table’.

TTP contacts Prof Ibrahim

Azam Tariq Mehsud also contacted Taliban intermediary Prof Muhammad Ibrahim to convey the group’s concerns over the South Waziristan operation. Prof Ibrahim later told journalists that he has asked Maulana Yousaf Shah, the coordinator of the TTP intermediary committee, to convey the Taliban concerns to the government.

“We have been striving hard to convince both sides – the government and the TTP – to avoid provocative actions against each other while peace talks are under way,” he said.

Information minister upbeat

Federal Information Minister Parvaiz Rashid said the dialogue with the Taliban was moving forward and the government hoped that the peace initiative would yield results.

“The government and the Taliban Shura will have their second face-to-face meeting in which we expect to learn about their real demands,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2014.