Pakistani Taliban facts for kids
The Pakistani Taliban (Urdu: پاکستانی طالبان), officially known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan (تحریکِ طالبان پاکستان, meaning Pakistani Taliban Movement, often shortened to TTP), is a group of various armed groups operating near the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It was formed in 2007 by Baitullah Mehsud.
The current leader of the TTP is Noor Wali Mehsud. He has stated his support for the Afghan Taliban. The Pakistani Taliban share similar beliefs with the Afghan Taliban and helped them during the war in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021. However, the two groups operate separately.
Most Taliban groups in Pakistan are part of the TTP. One of the TTP's main goals is to resist the Pakistani government. They aim to take control of the government by carrying out attacks against the Pakistani armed forces and the state. The TTP gets its members from the tribal areas along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border. They also get ideas and support from another group called al-Qaeda.
After the Pakistani military took action in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, some TTP members went from Pakistan to Afghanistan. Some of them joined another group called Islamic State – Khorasan Province, while others stayed with the TTP. In 2019, there were about 3,000 to 4,000 TTP members in Afghanistan, according to a report from the United States Department of Defense. Between July and November 2020, several smaller groups joined the TTP. This made the TTP stronger and led to more attacks.
In 2020, after some disagreements and internal struggles, the TTP was reorganized and brought back together under Noor Wali Mehsud. Mehsud has tried to change the group's image. He has ordered attacks only on security and law enforcement officials, trying to avoid harming regular people. This was an effort to make the group seem less extreme and different from the Islamic State group.
After the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, Pakistan tried to get the Afghan Taliban to stop the TTP. Instead, the Afghan Taliban helped arrange talks between Pakistan and the TTP. This led to the release of many TTP prisoners in Pakistan and a short agreement to stop fighting. After this agreement ended on December 10, 2021, the TTP increased its attacks on Pakistani security forces from safe places inside Afghanistan. Pakistan responded with airstrikes in Afghanistan's Khost and Kunar provinces on April 16, 2022.
Why the TTP is Considered Dangerous
Many countries and international organizations have officially called the TTP a dangerous group. This means it is against the law to support them or do business with them in these places.
- On September 1, 2010, the United States officially listed the TTP as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). This allows the U.S. to freeze the group's money. The U.S. also offered a reward for information about two of its leaders at the time, Hakimullah Mehsud and Wali ur-Rehman.
- In January 2011, the United Kingdom also classified the TTP as a banned dangerous organization.
- In July 2011, Canada added the TTP to its list of banned dangerous organizations.
- Other countries and organizations that have designated the TTP as a dangerous group include Argentina, Bahrain, Japan, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, and the United Nations.
How the TTP is Organized
The TTP is different from the Afghan Taliban in its structure. It doesn't have one strong central command. Instead, it's a looser group of different armed groups. These groups are united by their opposition to the central government in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Experts describe the TTP as a network of many smaller groups. These groups vary in size and how much they work together. The different parts of the TTP usually operate in their own local areas. They often find it hard to expand their activities beyond those territories.
When the TTP first formed, Baitullah Mehsud was its chief leader, known as the amir. His deputy was Hafiz Gul Bahadur. Faqir Mohammed was also a very important leader. The group included members from many tribal areas and districts in Pakistan. In 2008, some estimates suggested there were about 30,000 to 35,000 members, but it's hard to know for sure.
Current TTP Leaders
- Noor Wali Mehsud (also known as Abu Mansoor Asim) – He is the main chief of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.
- Muzahim (also known as Mufti Hazrat) – He is the deputy chief of the TTP.
- Hafiz Gul Bahadur – He leads a powerful group in North Waziristan.
- Aleem Khan Khushali – He leads a group active in North Waziristan.
- Muhammad Khurasani – He is the main spokesperson for the TTP.
Quick facts for kids Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan |
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| تحریک طالبان پاکستان Pakistani Taliban Movement Participant in Global War on Terrorism, Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) |
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 .png){kind=logo} Top Left: Current Logo of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (2024–present) Top Right: Former Logo of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (2020–2024) Bottom Center: Former Logo of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (2018–2020)   Top: Current Flag of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (2018–present) Bottom: Former Flag of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (Until 2018) |
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| Active | December 2007 – present |
| Ideology | Deobandi Islamic fundamentalism Pashtunwali Sectarianism Separatism |
| Motives | Fundamentalism Pashtunwali Deobandi Sectarianism Separatism |
| Allegiance |  Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (self-declared, publicly rejected by IEA) |
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| Headquarters | Eastern Afghanistan |
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| Designated as a terrorist organisation by | |
 Argentina Bahrain Canada Pakistan Japan New Zealand United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United Nations |
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