A massive and surprising development showing the TTP efforts for consolidating its ranks. TTP Hakim Ullah and Wali ur Rehman groups had remained in conflict since Aug 2009 when Hakimullah got elected himself as TTP chief. 1/n
The conflict took the shape of brutal killings after the killing of Hakim Ullah in Nov 2013.
Hakim Ullah group became dispersed where most of his commanders joined ISKP while Wali ur Rehman group emerged powerful under the leadership of Sajna Mehsud. 2/n
Hakim Ullah group became dispersed where most of his commanders joined ISKP while Wali ur Rehman group emerged powerful under the leadership of Sajna Mehsud. 2/n
Both groups remained in fierce killings, which even went out of control of AQ and Haqqani’s. Finally, the central command of the Afghan Taliban got involved in ending it. It was a crucial period for TTP where 🇵🇰 state was just starting military operation in Waziristan. 3/n
Sajna group separated itself from the TTP Central when Fazlullah became TTP chief due to disputes over these killings. At the same time, the Hakim Ullah group under the command of Shehryar Mehsud also took itself out of TTP. 4/n
Sajna group kicked out Shehryar and his men from the greater Paktia region, where they got sheltered in Kunar with Fazlullah and Khalid Haqqani. Later on, the Sajna group joined TTP Central. 5/n
Since then, TTP leadership, especially Khalid Haqqani, was quite active for ending the conflict between Sajna and Shehryar groups. Shehryar was also killed in an unclaimed IED attack in Marawara, Kunar - the stronghold of TTP – shortly after the killing of Khalid Haqqani. 6/n
So, the merger of the Sheryar group into TTP Central, which is headed by Mufti Abu Mansur Asim, the successor of Sajna, shows the increasing strength of TTP, although it lost some imp leadership recently. Might the next target of TTP Central will be to merge back TTP JA & HA. 7/n
