Deepening fissures within the ranks of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) intensified when the Mehsud group on Wednesday announced its separation from the TTP umbrella group.
Spokesperson of the faction Azam Tariq, who was also a part of the Taliban shura, announced during a press conference from an undisclosed location that the Mehsud group under the leadership of Ameer Khalid Mehsud had decided to break away from the TTP.
Tariq said that under the current system of the TTP, extortion and burglaries were being carried out.
The spokesperson further said that the group tried to stay united but failed due to various conspiracies, adding that the current system was under the hands of conspirators.
He also stated that the group will do anything it can to stop oppressors from doing wrong.
Tariq remarked that they had made their decision after careful consideration.