Turkistan Bhittani
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Turkistan BhittaniorTurkestan Bettani(c. 1968[1]– 23 December 2019[2]) was the militant leader of a pro-governmentTalibanfaction based in the town ofTankinKhyber-Pakhtunkhwaprovince ofPakistan.[3]He is notable for his opposition to theTehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan(TTP).[4]Turkistan belongs toBettanitribe (also spelled Bhittani).
Background
[edit]During his teens, Bhittani joined in theanti-Soviet jihadin Afghanistan.[5]
Later, Turkistan served in theFrontier Corpsuntil his retirement in 1998.[1][6]He then joined the Taliban in theAfghan Civil Warand remained in 2001 to fight against US-led forces.[5]
Challenge to the TTP
[edit]Although at one time he was allied to Baitullah Mehsud, Turkistan Bhittani disapproved of Baitullah's violent attacks against Pakistani citizens and security forces.[1]After he lost about 40 of his men in clashes with Baitullah's forces in 2008, Turkistan joined anti-TTP forces.[7]With the implicit support of the Pakistani military, he allied himself withQari Zainuddin Mehsudto openly challenge Baitullah.[1][8]On 8 June 2009, Zainuddin and Turkistan held ajirgaofMehsudtribal elders during which Turkistan condemned Baitullah's methods and urged the elders to fight against the leader of the TTP if he did not end his attacks against civilians and begin negotiations with the government.[7]
After Zainuddin's death on 23 June 2009, Turkistan proclaimed willingness to work with the Pakistani army and American forces to combat the TTP.[4]
References
[edit]- ^abcd Khan, Mukhtar A. (18 June 2009)."Pakistani Government Offensive in Swat Heading for the Taliban of Waziristan"(PDF).Terrorism Monitor.7(17). The Jamestown Foundation. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 25 August 2012.Retrieved25 June2009.
- ^"Ex-peace body head Turkistan Bhittani, nephew killed".
- ^Khan, M Ilyas (24 June 2009)."Making friends with the Taliban".BBC News.Pakistan.Retrieved25 June2009.
- ^ab"Militant commander Bhittani speaks out against Baitullah".25 June 2009.Retrieved25 June2009.
- ^ab Reza, Jan (20 August 2009)."A Thorn in the Side of the Taliban: Turkistan Bhittani Biography and Analysis".American Enterprise Institute.Archived fromthe originalon 15 April 2013.Retrieved1 September2009.
- ^Page, Jeremy; Rehmat Mehsud (23 June 2009)."Pakistan villagers revolt against Taleban after militants want women they widowed".The Times.Retrieved25 June2009.[dead link]
- ^abShahzad, Akhtar (9 June 2009)."TTP chief asked to renounce violence".The News International.Retrieved26 June2009.[dead link]
- ^Hasan, Syed Shoaib (25 June 2009)."A very strange Taliban burial".BBC News.Dera Ismail Khan.Retrieved25 June2009.
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