A senior militant commander has for the first time quit the Pakistani Taliban, a defection that could weaken a movement that poses the biggest security threat to the US-backed government. Fazal Saeed Haqqani, who was the Taliban leader in the Kurram region near the Afghan border, told Reuters he left to protest against what he said was the group's "brutal" attacks on civilians.
The Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP), an umbrella alliance of about 12 militant factions, is blamed for many of the suicide bombings across the country. Saeed Haqqani will now fight the TTP, and would continue to attack US troops in Afghanistan, said his spokesman, Hafiz Saeed. His 500 fighters have formed a new group called the Tehrik-e-Taliban Islami (TTI).
"Saeed's announcement has opened a floodgate for the Taliban. It benefits the government because more cracks might be seen in the Taliban ranks in coming days," said Rahimullah Yousafzai, an expert on the Taliban. Mahmood Shah, former security head of seven semi-autonomous Pashtun tribal regions along the Afghan border, said: "It's a very bold decision. It must be worrisome for Taliban militants."
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