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Mehsud challenged by new militant bloc

* Taliban commanders Maulvi Nazir and Gul Bahadar disagree with Baitullah Mehsud’s methods of conducting jihad

Staff Report

WANA/MIRANSHAH: Conflicts surfaced within the ranks of militant leaders on Tuesday when Taliban commanders from the Ahmedzai and Utmanzai Wazir tribes announced the formation of a bloc against Baitullah Mehsud.

“We have formed a bloc to defend the Wazir tribes’ interests in North and South Waziristan,” Taliban commander Maulvi Nazir told Daily Times in Wana. He said the bloc was established on Monday. Nazir joined hands with Haji Gul Bahadar, a Taliban chief from North Waziristan, after several weeks of discussions.

Differing views: “The two Taliban commanders do not have good relations with Baitullah Mehsud, and both Gul Bahadar and Maulvi Nazir disagree with Baitullah’s methods of conducting jihad inside Pakistan,” the analysts said.

Meanwhile, Baitullah Mehsud distributed pamphlets in Miranshah on Tuesday, proclaiming that he would never fight Gul Bahadar or his men. Mehsud also demanded of mujahideen in the pamphlet to prove that he had ever said he would fight Gul Bahadar. Analysts claim that Bahadar’s ‘control’ of border areas in North Waziristan will make Baitullah’s passage through “enemy territory” difficult.

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