Pakistani Taliban-police encounter in PoK: 2 safety officers, 4 terrorists killed

Safety forces appearing on intelligence raided a militant hideout in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, triggering a shootout that left two cops and 4 Pakistani Taliban fighters useless, police stated Thursday (Could 29).

The uncommon in a single day raid was carried out in Rawalakot district, in response to Abdul Jabbar, the police chief of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The area is split between Pakistan and India and claimed in its entirety by each international locations.

Jabbar stated the militants killed have been members of the Pakistani Taliban, also referred to as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, allies of the Afghan Taliban. He alleged the TTP is appearing as a proxy for India, and stated the police had thwarted an try by the insurgents to determine a base for future assaults.

There was no speedy response from New Delhi.

Operations towards TTP hideouts are continuously performed by Pakistani safety forces within the nation’s restive northwest and elsewhere; nevertheless, comparable actions in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir stay unusual. The TTP is a definite militant group that has change into more and more daring because the Afghan Taliban regained management of Afghanistan in 2021.

Since then, many TTP leaders and fighters have reportedly discovered refuge in Afghanistan.

Pakistan-Taliban relations

Pakistan’s relationship with the Taliban is difficult, marked by intervals of strategic cooperation in addition to important rigidity and battle.

Initially, Pakistan supported the Taliban in Afghanistan throughout the Nineties as a part of its regional technique, aiming to determine affect in Kabul and safe strategic depth towards India. Pakistan’s intelligence company, Inter-Companies Intelligence (ISI), was instrumental in supporting Taliban factions towards rival Afghan teams throughout the Afghan civil battle following the Soviet withdrawal.

Nonetheless, Pakistan’s relationship with the TTP could be very completely different now, and marked by hostility. Fashioned in 2007, the TTP emerged as a militant group opposing the Pakistani authorities, aiming to implement its strict interpretation of Islamic legislation and difficult state authority.

TTP has orchestrated quite a few lethal assaults throughout Pakistan, together with assaults on navy installations, civilian targets, and academic establishments. Pakistan has performed a number of main navy operations towards TTP strongholds, significantly within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), considerably weakening however by no means utterly dismantling the group.

The Afghan Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 additional difficult issues. Whereas Islamabad initially welcomed the Taliban’s return to energy in Afghanistan, hoping it could stabilise the area, the other occurred: the TTP has been emboldened, discovering protected havens and renewed help networks throughout the Afghan border. This improvement has intensified Pakistan’s home safety challenges.

Pakistan now finds itself urging Taliban to curb TTP actions, and finishing up home navy operations towards resurgent TTP fighters.

With inputs from companies