Kabul: Pakistan on Tuesday attacked several suspected hideouts of Pakistani Taliban inside neighbouring Afghanistan which reportedly killed over 46 people, including women and children.
Officials claimed that the strikes took place in a mountainous area in Paktika province bordering Pakistan and significantly “dismantled a training facility and killed some insurgents”, Associated Press reported, citing anonymous Pakistani security officials.
According to reports, it was Pakistan's second strike on suspected Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts in Afghanistan's border areas since March. Islamabad frequently asserts that the TTP uses Afghan territory to conduct operations in Pakistan, a claim Kabul has refuted.
About Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
Formed in 2007, TTP is believed to be an umbrella organisation of various hardline groups operating independently in Pakistan ever since the Pakistan military started operations against Al-Qaida in various tribal areas including the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)—a semi-autonomous tribal region in the northwest of the country. It is currently active along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border, with over 30,000 members.
The TTP is behind some of the worst attacks in Pakistan, like those on churches and schools and the shooting of Malala Yousafzai in 2012. She barely survived the attack because she was speaking out against the Taliban's efforts to keep women from going to school.
The terrorist group allegedly gained confidence after the Afghan Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021 and its leaders and members are also taking sheltering there. The group has also increased attacks against Pakistani police and military. In recent months also, the TTP launched several attacks in Pakistan, killing and injuring dozens of troops.
How Is TTP Different From Afghan Taliban
The TTP and Afghan are often mentioned together, but they are quite different from each other.
The Afghan Taliban, also called the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a Sunni Islamist organization that ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. Its primary goal is to establish an Islamic rule in Afghanistan, based on their interpretation of Sharia law. On the contrary, the TTP is a terrorist organization that seeks to overthrow the existing government in Pakistan and impose their administration based on Sharia law.
Anti-Pakistan Stance Of TTP
The TTP was formed on an anti-Pakistan stance, including fierce opposition to Pakistan's government and military. The organisation believes that Pakistan's government is corrupt, anti-Islamic, and favours Western interests. Previously, the TTP conducted multiple attacks against civilians, the Pakistani military, and infrastructure including markets, hospitals, and schools.
Pakistani Army's Operations Against TTP
Operation Zarb-e-Azb in 2014 and Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad in 2017 are two of the popular operations the Pakistani army has conducted against the TTP. These operations aimed to destroy the TTP's leadership, stop their supply routes, and destroy their infrastructure.
There are several reasons why the Pakistani army is attacking the TTP. First, it believes that there have been a great number of fatalities and property losses as a result of TTP strikes on Pakistani territory. Second, the group's ideology directly challenges the legitimacy and authority of the Pakistani state. The TTP's alleged ties with other extremist groups, including Al-Qaeda, also endanger both regional and international security.
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