 "Pakistani Taliban-police encounter in PoK: 2 security officers, 4 terrorists killed")
Security forces acting on intelligence raided a militant hideout in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, triggering a shootout that left two police officers and four Pakistani Taliban fighters dead, police said Thursday (May 29).
The rare overnight raid was carried out in Rawalakot district, according to Abdul Jabbar, the police chief of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The region is divided between Pakistan and India and claimed in its entirety by both countries.
Jabbar said the militants killed were members of the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, allies of the Afghan Taliban. He alleged the TTP is acting as a proxy for India, and said the police had thwarted an attempt by the insurgents to establish a base for future attacks.
There was no immediate response from New Delhi.
Operations against TTP hideouts are frequently conducted by Pakistani security forces in the country’s restive northwest and elsewhere; however, similar actions in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir remain uncommon. The TTP is a distinct militant group that has become increasingly bold since the Afghan Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021.
Since then, many TTP leaders and fighters have reportedly found refuge in Afghanistan.
Pakistan-Taliban relations
Pakistan’s relationship with the Taliban is complicated, marked by periods of strategic cooperation as well as significant tension and conflict.
Initially, Pakistan supported the Taliban in Afghanistan during the 1990s as part of its regional strategy, aiming to establish influence in Kabul and secure strategic depth against India. Pakistan’s intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), was instrumental in supporting Taliban factions against rival Afghan groups during the Afghan civil war following the Soviet withdrawal.
However, Pakistan’s relationship with the TTP is very different now, and marked by hostility. Formed in 2007, the TTP emerged as a militant group opposing the Pakistani government, aiming to implement its strict interpretation of Islamic law and challenging state authority.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsTTP has orchestrated numerous deadly attacks across Pakistan, including assaults on military installations, civilian targets, and educational institutions. Pakistan has conducted several major military operations against TTP strongholds, particularly in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), significantly weakening but never completely dismantling the group.
The Afghan Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 further complicated things. While Islamabad initially welcomed the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan, hoping it would stabilise the region, the opposite happened: the TTP has been emboldened, finding safe havens and renewed support networks across the Afghan border. This development has intensified Pakistan’s domestic security challenges.
Pakistan now finds itself urging Taliban to curb TTP activities, and carrying out domestic military operations against resurgent TTP fighters.
With inputs from agencies
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