'Major Threat': US, Western Allies Endorse Pakistan's Stance On TTP

In a major development, the US and its western allies have identified the outlawed TTP as a major threat to Pakistan and to their own security, endorsing Islamabad's stance that the terrorist outfit is operating from Afghanistan.

The agreement was reached at a meeting held in Paris on February 20, according to reporting by Kamran Yousaf.

Those who attended the key meeting includes special envoys and representatives of Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The meeting represented a relatively new bloc on Afghanistan, and it came on the first anniversary of Russian invasion of Ukraine, the report added.

It said that the West and its allies voiced concerns over the activities of terror outfits, including the TTP, in Afghanistan.

The participants talked about the increasing threat of such groups, including ISKP, al Qaeda, Tehreek-e-Taliban-Pakistan, besides others.

The statement issued at the conclusion noted that the groups including TTP “deeply affects security and stability inside the country, in the region and beyond, and called on the Taliban to uphold Afghanistan’s obligation to deny these groups’ safe haven.”

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According to the report, this is the first time that any western bloc explicitly termed TTP a threat to their security, a stance that would be welcomed by Pakistan.

The development comes as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police’s counter terrorism department issued a threat alert for Peshawar, anticipating a “high intensity attack” from suspected TTP terrorists.

The threat alert, signed by SSP Sajjad Hussain of KP police CTD, says the attack could be similar to the bombing of the Peshawar police lines’ mosque in January this year.

Earlier today, six terrorists were killed in an intelligence-based operation in the Datta Khel general area of North Waziristan, according to the military.

Over the past few months, the country’s security situation has worsened, with proscribed terrorist groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Islamic State group, Hafiz Gul Bahadur (HGB) network, and Baloch separatist groups executing attacks with impunity across Pakistan.

The TTP ended its ceasefire with the government in late November 2022, and ordered its militants to carry out attacks across Pakistan.