By Khalid Khan
Tank: A deadly clash between two rival factions of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the village of Khisray, located under the jurisdiction of Sarghar Police Station in Jandola, Tank, has left five top terrorists dead. The violence, triggered by deepening rifts between the Ismatullah Shaheen Betni Group and the Hameed Tanraka Group, reveals the brutal reality of the ongoing fragmentation within the TTP.
The casualties include some of the most feared operatives of the Ismatullah Shaheen Betni Group: Tanveer, alias Tahir, son of Izzat Khan, from Beba Khel, Tank; Khalid, son of Muntazir, from Khichi Kalay, Jandola; and Abdur Rahman, alias Sabir, son of Mir Ghulam, alias Saifullah, from Khisray, Jandola. The bloodshed also claimed the lives of two other notorious militants—Ghanam Gul, son of Malik Aziz, and Mayouf, son of Ahmad, both from Pir Tangi.
This violent confrontation, sparked by internal power struggles and territorial disputes, exposes the growing fracture lines within the TTP, once a monolithic force of terror in Pakistan. As factions fight for supremacy and dwindling resources, they are turning their weapons on one another, shedding blood not just for jihad, but for control over an increasingly fractured organization.
Security experts are closely watching these developments, as the TTP’s increasing fragmentation presents both an opportunity and a challenge. While the group’s internal strife may weaken its ability to strike, it also creates a volatile situation in which militant factions could further destabilize the region in their bid for power.
The clash in Khisray marks a dangerous new chapter in the TTP’s downward spiral. As its once-unified leadership crumbles, the fight for dominance within the terror network is only intensifying, raising questions about the future of the organization and the threats it still poses to Pakistan’s security.