Taliban Groups Unite To Fight U.S. Forces In Pakistan

July 17, 2008 10:23 a.m. EST

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AHN) - Taliban groups in Pakistan's chaotic tribal areas along the Pak-Afghan border have pledged to fight in unison against U.S. forces in Pakistan.

Pakistan Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) that share a 840-mile border with Afghanistan are controlled by different Taliban groups. In the past, these militant groups have fought against Pakistani security forces and even crossed the border to carry out attacks against US-led NATO Forces in Afghanistan.

Some of these groups like Lashkar-e-Islam and Ansar-ul-Islam in Khyber Tribal Agency fought against each other about religious differences. The in-fighting between the two groups claimed hundreds of lives.

After news reports that U.S.-led Allied forces have deployed heavy forces and weapons along the Pak-Afghan border, Taliban groups contacted each other and agreed to unite if U.S. forces try to enter Pakistan.

Munsif Ali Khan Afiridi, spokesman of Amar Bilmaroof Wa Nahi Anil Munkir (Organization for promoting virtue and discouraging vice), an extremist Taliban group in Khyber Agency, Thursday told reporters in Peshawar that all Taliban groups including Pakistan Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP), Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) and Ansar-ul-Islam (AI) have pledged to protect their territory against foreign aggression.

"A Jirga (Tribal Council) has also been constituted that will talk to the leadership of different religious groups for their support and devising a policy for the future", he added.

Separately, Baitullah Mehsud, chief of Pakistan Taliban Movement (TTP) called on the Awami National Party (ANP) led government in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) to quit as it had completely failed in restoring peace and materializing the agreements it had signed with Taliban in Swat Valley of Pakistan.

"The provincial government is responsible for deteriorating law and order situation in Hangu and Swat districts of the frontier province and it should quit within five days, otherwise Taliban will intensify attacks against government interests in the province", Pakistan Geo TV quoted Baitullah Mehsud as saying.