Hakeemullah’s followers in Orakzai clash; 21 killed

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About 21 militants were killed in clashes between two groups of Taliban for gaining full control of Aakhel area of upper Orakzai Agency on Tuesday. The fighting continued till late night.

Both the groups are said to be loyal to top Taliban leader Hakeemullah Mehsud. The clash broke out when men of commander Ziaur Rehman refused to let their vehicles checked at a post controlled by men of commander Sakhi Hafiz.

It is said that there was an agreement between commanders that members of one group entering the area of the other would be checked for security reasons. Orakzai Agency’s officials said the real issue was of control of the area, adding that the clashes had made the people fearful of their security.

Independent sources said that both Sakhi Hafiz and Ziaur Rehman wanted to control the Aakhel checkpost, claiming that it was in their territory.

Sakhi’s men attacked the rivals with heavy weapons to punish them for refusing to stop for checking. The Ziaur Rehman group retaliated with an attack on the men of Sakhi Hafiz who were going to Ghiljo. Nine militants, including Sakhi’s brother Asad Hafiz and uncle Yahya Hafiz, were killed. They were burned to death in their vehicles.

The militants belonging to other groups and the Tehrik-i-Taliban Darra Adamkhel have announced their support for Sakhi Hafiz and are using heavy weapons against the Zia group.

The de facto chief of the TTP, Hakeemullah Mehsud, who left Orakzai Agency three months ago for South Waziristan, has asked his commanders to stop fighting.