Top Taliban Leader Quits the Pakistan Taliban

A Pakistan Taliban commander has quit, protesting suicide bombings as an indiscriminate tactic that result in too many civilian deaths. Militant Fazal Saeed Haqqani will form his own group in the Kurrum tribal area between Kabul and Pakistan. “The fracture within this terrorist outfit may be welcome news to Pakistan’s military, which has failed to break its backbone despite increasing US pressure and military offensives along the Afghan border,” reports Owais Tohid for the Christian Science Monitor. “Meanwhile, Shia tribal elders say they would welcome any military operation against Taliban militants and their havens in Kurrum.” Terror attacks have been on the rise since the US killed Osama bin Laden and pushed Pakistan to do more battling extremism. The split could disrupt militants moving between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Minimizing civilian casualties is essential for winning hearts and minds in the tribal region. – YaleGlobal