A new breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban welcomed on Friday al Qaeda chief Ayman al Zawahiri’s plans to launch a South Asian branch of the terror network.
In a video message, Zawahiri had announced the new “al Qaeda in the subcontinent” operation. He added that the new faction would extend the Taliban’s mission to Myanmar, Bangladesh and India – countries which have large Muslim populations.
New Delhi said on Thursday that it had put several states on high alert after the announcement was made.
Ehsanullah Ehsan, spokesman for the new Pakistani Taliban bloc – named Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Jamatul Ahrar – hailed Zawahiri’s call.
“We believe that the branch will work towards achieving the rights of Muslims in the subcontinent,” Ehsan said.
He added that the rights of Muslims in the region could only be safeguarded through the establishment of a caliphate.
The breakaway faction announced its split on Thursday and named Omar Khalid Khorasani as its commander.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 6th, 2014.
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