Pakistani Taliban splits; Fazal Haqqani forms Taliban Islami

Fazal Saeed Haqqani, a commander in the Kurram tribal region, separated from the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and formed the Tehrik-e-Taliban Islami, Geo News channel reported.
Haqqani told the media that he had taken this step to protest suicide attacks on mosques and civilians.

The channel quoted its sources as saying that Haqqani earlier led TTP fighters in Kurram Agency and had step up training centres in several areas.

In the past, Haqqani's associates kidnapped people and kept them in their training centres.
They would then kill their captives or release them after being paid ransom, the channel reported.

Observers said the move by Haqqani could be part of efforts by the government and security forces to engineer a split in the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, which is led by Hakimullah Mehsud.

There was no word from the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan on the development.

Border shelling hits terror talks

Fighting across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border will overshadow talks when the two countries meet along with the US on Tuesday to map out plans for reconciliation with Taliban.

Pakistan also rejected Afghan allegations it had fired 470 rockets over the past three weeks, saying only “a few accidental rounds” may have crossed the border when it pursued militants who had attacked its security forces.