KARACHI: The Afghan Taliban have rejected the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claim that it is a ‘branch’ of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), the regime in charge in Kabul, asserting that the two organisations do not share the same objectives.

These views were expressed by Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Muja­hid, in an interview with Arab News on Friday, apparently in response to the recent assertion by the TTP through a video.

In the video available on social media, TTP chief Mufti Noor Wali Mahsud claimed his outfit came under the larger ‘umbrella’ of the IEA. “Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan is a branch of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, [and] is a part of that umbrella on this land,” Mahsud, accompanied by armed militants, can be seen saying in the video as he addressed a group of men.

However, the Afghan Taliban spokesperson, according to Dawn.com, rejected Mahsud’s claim of affiliation with the Islamic Emirate. Earlier, Arab News quoted Mujahid as saying: “They are not, as an organisation, part of IEA and we don’t share the same objectives.”

Advise TTP to focus on stability to prevent external interference; urge Pakistan to look into the banned outfit’s demands

He said: “We advise TTP to focus on peace and stability in their country. This is very important so they can prevent any chance for enemies to interfere in the region and in Pakistan. And we request Pakistan to look into their demands for the better of the region and Pakistan.”

The Afghan Taliban spokesperson said the TTP was Pakistan’s internal matter.

“The IEA stance is that we do not interfere in other countries’ affairs. We do not interfere in Pakistan’s affairs,” he claimed roughly a month after Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi acknowledged that the Afghan Taliban were mediating between the TTP and Pakistan on the desire of both sides.

Ceasefire

The Afghan Taliban’s facilitation of talks had led to a month-long ceasefire during November, which the TTP declined to extend any further, accusing the government of failing to honour the decisions reached earlier.

A statement issued by the TTP on Thursday gave out details of the six-point agreement that it said it had reached with the government under the aegis of the IEA on Oct 25, 2021.

The two sides, according to the agreement, had accepted that the IEA would play the role of a mediator and that both sides would form five-member committees each which, under the supervision of the mediator, would discuss the next course of action and demands of each sides.

Both sides, it said, had also agreed to observe a month-long ceasefire from Nov 1 to Nov 30, 2021 and that the government would release 102 “imprisoned mujahideen” and hand them over to the TTP through the “IEA and that both sides would issue a joint statement regarding the ceasefire on Nov 1, 2021”.

According to the TTP, the government failed to implement the decisions, as security forces conducted raids in Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, Swat, Bajaur, Swabi and North Waziristan and killed and detained militants. “Under these circumstances, it is not possible to extend the ceasefire,” the TTP claimed.

The decision to end the ceasefire is a big setback to government’s efforts to secure a peace agreement with the militants waging war against the state.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2021