The clashes began when JuA fighters were reportedly asked to surrender their weapons and comply with directives from TTP commanders.
A photo of a TTP member. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
More than a dozen terrorists were killed in intense clashes between the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its splinter faction, the TTP-Jamaatul Ahrar (JuA), as tensions escalated between commanders of the two groups in the Kurram tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sources said.
The deadly fighting in the Manato region of central Kurram reportedly broke out after a decision by the TTP Central Shura to take disciplinary action against some commanders of the JuA faction.
Sources said the clashes began when JuA fighters were allegedly asked to surrender their weapons or comply with directives issued by local TTP commanders.
The infighting reportedly left 19 JuA fighters dead, while three TTP members were also killed, the sources said.
Sharing more details, sources said a jirga has been convened to defuse the growing tensions and resolve the dispute. However, the situation worsened when gunfire broke out between the two factions during the tribal assembly itself.
At the same time, the JuA vowed to avenge the killings and released images of its murdered members on social media, according to sources.
In another development, security sources said that during a recent military operation in Shawal and Spinwam areas of North Waziristan, a top terrorist commander identified as Jan Mir alias Tor Saqib was killed along with around 30 other terrorists.
