Crumbling frontline: How TTP’s rural ‘takeover’ has left Pakistan army cornered in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

New Delhi, Oct 25 (IANS) For the Pakistan army, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) is fast becoming uncharted territory. Although it has entered into a delicate truce with the Afghan Taliban, the army is battling on several other fronts, such as K-P and Balochistan.

The internal strife within the country has also heavily stressed the security mechanism.

In K-P, it appears to be a complete takeover by Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP). The TTP is following the exact strategy that the Taliban had adopted before the 2021 pullout by the US forces.

First, the TTP infiltrated rural belts and then made a gradual entry into the urban zones. This is typical of what the Afghan Taliban had done before 2021.

An official said that the situation has become so grave due to the TTP’s growing strength; many soldiers, especially those of Punjabi origin, are refusing deployment in the region. Some of the rural and tribal belts, where the TTP is in complete control, include areas adjoining North and South Waziristan, Bajaur and Khyber Kurram. The soldiers are in particular refusing to enter the rural zones because these areas are tricky, and the TTP fights better here.

Moreover, the TTP has local support, which makes the matter worse for the Pakistan Army. Many soldiers have refused to fight in these zones. As a compromise measure, it was decided that the soldiers would stand in defensive positions rather than carry out operations to eliminate TTP cadres.

In a nutshell, it is a ‘shoot if shot at’ strategy that is in force in rural zones of K-P. While rural areas were largely dominated by TTP, what worries the Pakistan army is the infiltration into the urban zones. The infiltration into urban zones like Bara Road corridors and Badaber and Mattani has worried Pakistan. Before the TTP breezed through these areas, they were under the control of the Frontier Corps and police. These zones are now being used to collect funds to fund TTP’s operations.

In addition to this, terrorists, as well as arms and ammunition, are being moved through these areas. Recently, videos of TTP cadres dancing on the roads and collecting funds in the open had surfaced. These shots taken from the urban zones show how much the TTP is in charge and how less the army can do about it. The videos also show TTP fighters checking vehicles and verifying documents, again suggesting that the outfit is in control.

With each passing day, the Pakistan army is finding it hard to gain control over the TTP. There are multiple reasons why the army is not able to contain the TTP. The TTP has a set of fierce fighters whom the army finds hard to beat.

In most parts of Pakistan, an anti-army sentiment is building. This has been a major factor as the locals tend to support the TTP rather than the army. This is the same sentiment that one can see in Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as well.

The army is in a fierce battle with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and has suffered immense losses in recent years.

Further, the relationship with the Taliban has not been smooth, and this, too, has added to the army’s woes. There is the Indian border as well, where the Army is busy trying to help terrorists infiltrate. By keeping itself busy on so many fronts, the army is running out of options, and in the bargain, has suffered losses.

–IANS

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