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Pakistani Taliban group denies threats to army

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, May 15, IRNA -– Chief of a splinter group of Pakistani Taliban in North Waziristan tribal agency Friday disowned a leaflet which threatened to curtail movement of the security forces in the region.

On Wednesday journalists received an email from Taliban media center, saying that the militants have banned entry of the army in North Waziristan and that violators will be killed.

Hafiz Gul Bahadar, who leads Taliban in North Waziristan, in a statement, said his group has neither issued any statement nor sent any email.

“Whoever have sent the statement to the media are enemies of the peace of North Waziristan,” Ahmadullah Ahmadi, spokesman for Hafiz Gul Bahadar said in a statement issued in Miranshah.

Sources said that a group, which calls itself Punjabi Taliban, had emailed the statement to the media, in which the group announced restrictions on the troops’ movement in the region after the alleged threats from the army.

Statement from Hafiz Gul Bahadar shows that the Punjabi Taliban had released the statement without his consent. It seems there is lack of coordination between different militant groups in North Waziristan.

“We are not oblivious of those who want to destroy peace and create difficulties for the people in the area,” Bahadar said.

Hafiz Gul Bahadar had been part of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP but did not join Hakimullah Mehsood’s fighters when the army launched major operation in South Wazirustan in October last year.

The North Waziristan Taliban had also signed a peace deal with the government in 2008 and both sides are still holding the agreement.

U.S. media report that top American military are mounting pressure on Pakistan to launch operation in North Waziristan, still under the control of the militants.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Friday that Pakistan, not others, will make decision when and where to start any operation.

Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani has hinted that the army may not conduct any major operation in 2010.

**1771

End News / IRNA / News Code 1115676