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Pakistani Taliban infighting claims 12 lives

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, June 26, IRNA -- Clashes between two commanders of Pakistani Taliban claimed lives of 12 people in Orakzai tribal region, officials and a Taliban spokesman said on Saturday.

They said that eight people were also injured in the clashes erupted at Faisal Darra area of Central Orakzai on Saturday morning.

One group is led by Commander Noor Jamal Alias Tufan Khan and the rival faction is headed by Commander Nadeem Mulla, also known as Hanafi. Tufan is loyal to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP led by Hakimullah Mehsood.

Hanafi also considered him as part of the TTP but the TTP spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan said Hanafi group has no relation with his group.

He said Hanafi is leading a pro-government ‘lashkar’ or militia in Orakzai agency.

He added that the government is backing the Hanafi group.

Officials and locals said that both groups had also clashed in the past, causing casualties on both sides.

They said that all those killed belonged to Hanafi group but Hanfi is safe.

The Taliban spokesman said that 10 supporters of Hanafi group have been killed and two were arrested.

He said that no one from Commander Tufan group has been killed in the fighting.

Ihsan said that Taliban had sent a message to Hanafi on Saturday morning to part ways with the government but he did not give a clear response.

Pakistani security forces had conducted operation against the Taliban militants in Orakzai agency in 2010.

The army had declared victory in Orakzai agency in June last year and the military spokesman had said the forces cleared many areas of the militants and destroyed all bases and centers in a two-month operation.

Orakzai is the only trial region, which has no border with Afghanistan and had been considered as the peaceful in Pakistan’s seven tribal regions before the Taliban arrival.

Taliban surfaced in the agency in 2008 when militants loyal to former Talban leader Baitullah Masood killed three security men.

The area has also seen sectarian attacks after Taliban took control of several parts of the agency.

Taliban have also attacked pro-government tribesmen and in one suicide attack killed nearly 100 tribesmen in 2008.

**1420
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30448034