INDIA
PAKISTAN
NEPAL
BHUTAN
BANGLADESH
SRI LANKA
Terrorism Update
Latest
S.A.Overview
Publication
Show/Hide Search
 
    Click to Enlarge
   

Incidents and Statements involving TTP: 2011-2012

2012

December 31: The bullet-riddled bodies of nine TTP militants were found dumped on the side of the road in Peer Kaley village in North Waziristan Agency in Federally Administered Tribal Areas FATA. “Unidentified people threw away these nine bodies. No one knows who killed them,” a security official based in Miranshah said. But Ehsanullah Ehsan, TTP spokesman said that all nine were TTP cadres and accused SFs of killing them. “We are proud of their martyrdom, soon we will take revenge for this killing,” he told from an undisclosed location.

Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik said that the Government was ready to hold talks with TTP ‘chief’ Hakimullah Mehsud if he renounced violence,. “The TTP has given no response regarding renouncing violence. When a reply is received all stakeholders will be consulted and the nation’s emotions will be taken into consideration before implementing any policy regarding the TTP”. Malik said action would be taken if the TTP continued on its path of violence.  In a video message, Hakimullah Mehsud had said that the TTP were ready to negotiate with the Government but unwilling to surrender arms.

ANP ‘chief’ Asfandyar Wali Khan said that the Government should hold talks with the TTP following which if the terrorism problem was not resolved, other avenues should be explored. Asfandyar said the centre of terrorism was FATA which was under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government. He added that the ANP could only play a role in the dialogue process with the TTP when they are given the authority. According to the ANP chief, change can only come through the ballot box and those who were advocating a change by other means had a different agenda.

December 30: The Hassanabdal Police failed to trace a notorious abductor, who allegedly “escaped” from Hassanabdal Police Station of Attock District in Punjab, on October 16, 2012. The abductor allegedly had links with TTP and was a native of Swat valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

December 29: The TTP militants executed 22 Levies personnel, three days after they were abducted during synchronised attacks on three security checkpoints in the Frontier Region Peshawar of FATA. 400 heavily-armed militants stormed the checkpoints in Koi Hassan Khel, Zakhi Sar Musa Darra and Jani Khwar areas of FR Peshawar late December 26-night, killing two Levies Force personnel and abducting 22 others. The bodies of 21 Levies personnel were found dumped in a nullah near Koi Hassan Khel area Saturday night. “Yes, 21 of them were found dead and one seriously wounded,” Naveed Akbar Khan, the assistant political agent, said. The 22nd injured personnel succumbed to his injuries on December 30. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the attacks. “We killed all the kidnapped men after a council of senior clerics gave a verdict for their execution. We didn’t make any demand for their release because we don’t spare any prisoners who are caught during fighting,” he said.

December 28: The chief of TTP Hakimullah Mehsud said that his militia is willing to negotiate with the Government but not disarm, a message delivered in a 40-minute video given to Reuters said. “We believe in dialogue but it should not be frivolous,” Hakimullah Mehsud said. “Asking us to lay down arms is a joke.” In the video, Mehsud sits cradling a rifle next to his deputy, Waliur Rehman. Military officials say there has been a split between the two men but Mehsud said that was propaganda. “Waliur Rehman is sitting with me here and we will be together until death,” said Mehsud, pointing at his companion. “We are against the democratic system because it is un-Islamic,” Mehsud said. “Our war isn’t against any party. It is against the non-Islamic system and anyone who supports it.” Mehsud said in his interview that although he was open to dialogue, the Pakistani Government was to blame for the violence because it broke previous, unspecified deals. “In the past, it is the Pakistani government that broke peace agreements,” he said. “A slave of the US can’t make independent agreements it breaks agreements according to US dictat.” Mehsud said that the TTP would follow the lead of the Afghan Taliban when it came to forming policy after most NATO troops withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014. “We are Afghan Taliban and Afghan Taliban are us,” he said. “We are with them and al Qaeda. We are even willing to get our heads cut off for al Qaeda.”

December 27: December 27: More than 400 TTP militants stormed security checkpoints in FR Peshawar in FATA late in the night, killing two Levies personnel and abducting 22 others. The militants destroyed two checkposts and also took away weapons, a double cabin pick-up, besides setting a vehicle ablaze. TTP ‘central spokesman’ Ehsanullah Ehsan also claimed responsibility for the attack and the kidnapping of the security personnel.

Three bullet-riddled bodies of militants were found in Kakary Bagh area in Kurram Agency. Local people suspected that the deceased, who belonged to Bagan village, had links with Tehreek-e-Taliban Islami Pakistan, a splinter group of TTP.

A TTP targeted killer, Abid alias Chhotu, escaped from the Peerabad Police Station jail in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh. According to media reports Abid asked a constable if he could use the restroom. As the constable let him out of the lock-up, Abid pushed him aside and fled. Abid was arrested after a December 13 encounter in Kanwari Colony. Police reportedly recovered five hand grenades, a Kalashnikov and explosives from his possession. Deputy Inspector General of Police Asif Ijaz Shaikh confirmed the escape and said that Abid was involved in more than 25 murders, including 14 Police constables.

December 26: TTP has made a conditional ceasefire offer to the Pakistan Government which envisages an end to Pakistan’s participation in the Afghan war and the reshaping of the Constitution and foreign policy according to the Quran and Sunnah. The offer was made to this correspondent in a letter sent by Punjab TTP Amir Asmatullah Muawiya and was endorsed by the spokesman of the TTP Ehsanullah Ehsan in a telephonic call from an unknown place. The letter says TTP was dragged into a war with Pakistan from the Afghanistan and Kashmir fronts and the Government and the army were responsible for this. The war with the TTP was started by the army and they are only defending themselves which is their religious right, the TTP letter said.

“Instead of taking out guns against Muslims (Ahle Islam), the Pakistan Army should prepare to take revenge for the 1971 war (with India). This will also add the potential of Kashmiri mujahideen to our forces,” the TTP said.

The TTP letter revealed that it was not targeting the Jama’at-e-Islam and JUI of Maulana Fazlur Rehman but these parties should also revise their positions and statements.

It said the TTP had taken a quiet approach towards the PML-N and Tehreek-e-Insaf but the ANP had sold itself for the glitter of American dollars. The MQM, the letter claimed, had also adopted a similar position.

“If the ANP changes its policies and apologies for its past mistakes, the TTP is prepared to forgive them,” the TTP statement said. The TTP letter said Pakistan was its country and “we love its streets and even plains and deserts but we cannot sacrifice our faith for this love.”

The TTP letter said any fresh operation in North Waziristan would be a failure as America with its 42 allies has not been able to achieve any success. “If we are attacked even those who are now away from the fighting will take up arms and many more fronts will open,” the TTP said. The TTP said now the Government of Pakistan should decide what it wanted to do.

December 22: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour and at least eight other persons were killed and 17 injured in a suicide bomb explosion in Qissa Khawani Bazaar area of Peshawar. The dead also included SHO of Kabali Police Station, Sattar Khan, and the late minister's personal secretary Noor Muhammad. Police said around 100 people had gathered at the place when the bomber detonated his suicide vest. The TTP claimed responsibility for the attack on Bashir Ahmed Bilour whose outspokenness had made him a lot of enemies among the militants. TTP's 'spokesman' for Dara Adamkhel and Khyber Agency, Mohammad Afridi, said over phone that the suicide bomber belonging to his group. He said the TTP had set up a new 'revenge wing' that had carried out the attack. Afridi warned that leaders of the ANP and the MQM were the prime targets of his group.

December 21: The pro-Uzbek TTP 'commander' Maulvi Abbas was among three killed in a bomb blast in Wana bazaar of South Waziristan Agency. Sources said that a bomb at the office of 'commander' Maulvi Abbas's brother in the vegetable market went off, killing Abbas and two others, including his son. Four people sustained injuries in the blast.

December 19: Two suspected militants were killed and more than two dozen were taken into custody during a raid in Sohrab Goth and other surrounding areas against the militants involved in the attack on polio vaccination team. Police also recovered huge cache of weapons and stolen vehicles during operation. According to details, at least 300 personnel of Karachi Police and Rapid Response Force were trying to get inside the areas considerably dominated by Karachi chapter of TTP when militants offered resistance near Decent Heights Apartment and Malik Agha Hotel. During exchange of fire, two unidentified militants were shot dead during the raid continued for one hour only.

TTP 'spokesman' Ehsanullah Ehsan called over phone and once again distanced his organisation from the attacks on polio teams. The previous day also he had denied the involvement of the TTP in the attacks on the anti-polio workers.

December 15: Security Forces killed five more militants - said to be Uzbeks - in a fierce encounter in Pawaki village, just one kilometer from the PAF airbase in Peshawar (provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), clearing the area off miscreants after the December 15 night's attack on the Bacha Khan International Airport and PAF base. All together 10 militants, two civilians and two SFs were killed in the two days operation. The TTP had claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had sent 10 attackers to accomplish the mission. The TTP 'spokesman' Ehsanullah Ehsan called different media organisations to announce that their target was the PAF installations at the airbase.

December 12: There are clear indications to suggest that the MQM abandoned its much trumpeted plan of holding a countrywide referendum to determine whose Pakistan the people wanted, Quaid-e-Azam's or Taliban's, following a threat by TTP to target MQM in Karachi, the provincial capitall of Sindh. MQM circles close to Altaf Hussain claim that the plan had only been put off and not discarded. The referendum idea was floated by Altaf Hussain in a telephonic speech from London on October 14, 2012 following the failed assassination attempt on Malala Yusufzai by a TTP shooter.

The MQM chief had asked the people of Pakistan to decide whether they wanted to live in a Pakistan being run by the Taliban or the one that was envisioned by the Quaid-i-Azam. The MQM subsequently announced on October 18 that it would hold a national referendum after Eidul Azha. Days after the speech, the question was also featured on billboards across Karachi. Almost two weeks later, on November 1 Altaf Hussain announced in another address to his workers that he has directed the MQM's Coordination Committee to give an earliest possible date for holding the referendum.

A few days later, calling the threat of religious extremism the biggest challenge faced by Pakistan, MQM's deputy convener Farooq Sattar announced that the party has finally decided to hold the nationwide referendum on November 8.

Reacting sharply to the MQM's formal announcement to hold the referendum, the TTP 'spokesman' Ehsanullah Ehsan announced on November 3 that the Taliban had decided to target the MQM activists in Karachi. In an email message to several media outlets, Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed that the TTP was following the teachings of Islamic Shariah and it is obligatory on the TTP militants to fight against the MQM which is spreading secularism. Ehsan said to avenge the killing of innocent citizens of Karachi, the TTP will kill MQM members.

December 10: Nine persons - three Policemen, a soldier, two civilians and three suicide bombers - were killed while five others, including a SHO, sustained injuries in a suicide attack targeting the Kakki Police Station in Bannu District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Talking to reporters by phone from an undisclosed location, TTP 'spokesman' Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the attack on the Kakki Police Station. "We wanted to avenge the recent killing of late TTP 'chief' Baitullah Mehsud's nephew Ibrahim Mehsud by the Police." Ibrahim Mehsud was killed in Bannu.

Eight persons were injured in a remote-controlled blast close to the venue of ANP's political meeting in Peshawar where party chief Asfandfyar Wali Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti were present. The TTP 'spokesman', Ehsanullah Ehsan, made telephone calls to media offices in Peshawar to make the claim, saying the attack was "just the beginning."

Facebook over the weekend deleted the TTP's recruiting page. The TTP had been using the social media outlet to seek contributors for a new quarterly magazine. Facebook's reason for deleting the page was not reported.

December 7: The TTP has set up a page on Facebook to recruit enthusiasts to write for a quarterly magazine and to edit video, spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan confirmed. The Umar Media TTP page, which has more than 270 likes, appears to have been created in September and have just a handful of messages written in English. “Umar Media is proud to announce online jobs opportunities (sic),” says the first post on the networking website, written on October 25. “Job description (sic) is video editing, translations, sharing, uploading, downloading and collection of required data,” it says, giving an email address and asking readers to “plz spread it. This Facebook account may be deleted.” TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan confirmed to AFP by telephone that the faction was “temporarily” using the page “to fulfil its requirements” before launching its own website. US-based organisation SITE Intelligence Group says the TTP uses Facebook as “a recruitment centre”. “Through its official media arm, Umar Media, the TTP has taken to Facebook to recruit contributors for their media work and the group’s forthcoming publication ‘Ayah-E-Khilafat’ (Sign of the Caliphate),” it said in a statement.

December 6: The TTP is preparing for a leadership change which could see more moderate deputy leader of the group, Waliur Rehman, likely to succeed Hakimullah Mehsud, whose extreme violence has alienated enough of his fighters to significantly weaken him, military sources told Reuters. An unnamed senior Pakistan Army official based in the South Waziristan Agency of FATA, the group’s stronghold, said that Mehsud, who led the TTP for the last three years, has lost operational control of the movement and the trust of his fighters. “Rehman is fast emerging as a consensus candidate to formally replace Hakimullah. Now we may see the brutal commander replaced by a more pragmatic one for whom reconciliation with the Pakistani government has become a priority.” The change of leadership could mean less violence against the state but more attacks against US-led forces in Afghanistan.

December 5: A prayer leader, identified as Peshimam Ahsanullah (38) was shot dead by three armed assailants inside a mosque in Sector 5-C  within the remit of the Bilal Colony Police Station of New Karachi. One of the assailants, identified as Mohammad Kashif alias Bilal, was caught by area people when trying to flee told Police. He worked for the TTP and killed the Peshimam because the latter was an ‘informer’. The suspect told Police that he had undergone 21-day militant training at a camp in Mansehra District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and was getting PKR 15,000 a month.

December 4: TTP faction leader Mullah Nazir of the Ahmedzai Wazir tribe has ordered all Mehsud tribesmen, including loyalists to the rival TTP led by Hakimullah Mehsud, to leave Wana of South Waziristan in FATA by December 5. Those who fail to leave, and any locals aiding them, will face action, he said. Officials reported that some Mehsud militants have already started vacating. Nazir was injured in a suicide bombing November 29 in Wana that killed at least eight others. The TTP is one rival faction that is suspected of being behind the attack.

The TTP, though, said it had nothing to do with the attack, TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said. He said the TTP and Mullah Nazir faction are ideologically on the same page. Shahid Ali Khan, the assistant political agent for South Waziristan, said officials will be taking care of the law-and-order situation and will protect the civilians in any emergency situation. He also said a peace jirga (tribal council) will be called upon to negotiate between the warring militant factions.

Nazir’s warning went out on mosque loudspeakers after a grand jirga of the Nazir group, a 120-member peace committee formed in 2007 and representing the Ahmedzai Wazir clan and the elders of all nine Ahmedzai tribes and their sub-tribes. The jirga convened at the site of the bombing, Rustam Bazaar, December 1 to discuss the situation. The group warned all internally displaced Mehsud tribesmen who had taken refuge from fighting in the Mehsud area between Security Forces and militants to vacate their houses in the Ahmedzai Wazir area.

Federal Minister of Interior Rehman Malik demanded Afghanistan to arrest and hand over TTP leader Maulvi Fazlullah who, he said, is based in Kunar province. Addressing a press conference, Malik said the militants are launching attacks on Pakistani villages and security posts along the Pak-Afghan border in Bajaur, Dir and Chitral areas from inside Afghanistan. The Interior Minister said the Afghanistan Government should cooperate in sealing the Pak-Afghan border as it is necessary to control terrorism. Commenting on war against terrorism, Malik said the militants have been defeated and they are on the run now, adding that around forty thousand Pakistani nationals have sacrificed their lives for the cause. Vowing to continue the Government’s efforts against terrorism, he said that all those young man, who have been engaged by the militants, would be given employment opportunities if they end their links with them.

December 3: LEA has arrested several key suspected leaders of the TTP in a crackdown on militants in and around the Manghopir area in Karachi. Rangers detained more than 70 people, 10 of whom are suspected of being linked with TTP. The team also seized a car loaded with more than 100kg of explosives, two suicide jackets with about 8kg of explosives and three water coolers filled with explosives weighing more than 5kg.

At least 15 to 20 masked militants, some of them equipped with arms, attacked the graveyard of Ahmadi community in Model Town area of Lahore and shattered the tombstones of more than 120 graves. Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan is under attack for last several years in Pakistan. Police said that these masked militants belonged to the TTP. 

December 2: Relatives of eight abducted employees of Gomal Zam Dam project on the Gomal River in the South Waziristan Agency demanded that the government help them release their loved ones. They said the TTP was demanding a huge ransom for the release of their relatives. Government should pay the ransom to the TTP, they added.

December 1: The CIA Police arrested three militants of the TTP near Minar-i-Pakistan in Lahore District and thwarted their plans of targeting Shia processions. The arrestees are identified as Arshid Ali, Umer Zaib and Amjad. The team recovered seven kilogram of explosive material, four hand grenades, a rifle, INR 150,000 in cash and bullets from their possession.

November 29: Seven militants were killed and 15 others, including Mullah Nazir, who is considered a pro-Government local TTP 'chief', sustained injuries when a suicide bomber riding a motorbike blew himself up near the vehicle of the militant commander in Rustam Adda in South Waziristan Agency of FATA. Sources said that in the attack, apparently targeting Mullah Nazir, his two key 'commanders' were killed besides five others on the spot. Mullah Nazir had also signed a peace accord with the Government in 2007.

November 27: The US Ambassador to Pakistan, Richard Olson said that the US Government supported Pakistan's peace talks with the Afghan Taliban and the release of some Afghan Taliban prisoners. He expressed concern over the security situation in North Waziristan Agency of FATA and affirmed that the US considers the operation against the TTP in North Waziristan to be an internal matter for Pakistan. Both Pakistan and the US acknowledge extremism to be a common problem which should be addressed properly, added Olson.

TTP claimed responsibility for planting a bomb under the car of Hamid Mir, a television anchor, and warned him of a second assassination bid. "Life and death is in the hands of Allah. Allah saved his life but we will make a similar attempt again," TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said over the telephone from an unknown location.

November 26: Senior journalist and anchor Hamid Mir escaped an assassination bid when Police defused a bomb planted under his car in Islamabad. Mir, who hosts the Capital Talk evening show on Geo TV and writes a column for Jang, was criticised by the TTP last month in the wake of the shooting of teenage activist Malala Yusufzai. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but the device was found stuck under the front passenger seat of his car.

Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik said that the Government was ready to give a general amnesty for all proscribed organisations, including TTP, if they renounced terrorism. "If proscribed organisations agree to cooperate with the government and give up terrorism, they will be removed from the list of banned organisations," the Interior Minister said at a press conference in Islamabad.

The Minister discussed in detail performance of law-enforcement agencies personnel in providing security to Aashura processions and gatherings. He invited all banned organisations, including the TTP, for talks and said it was time for Hakeemullah Mehsud, whether he was physically fit or suffering from any disability, to apologise to the nation and stop playing into the hands of anti-Pakistan forces. "Hakeemullah don't hide in one bunker or another. Today, I announce a general amnesty for you if you stop killing innocent people. The enemies you are working for will kill you too, one day," the Minister said. He claimed the Government knew the forces which were using the TTP to fulfill their designs.

However, the TTP ruled out any possibility of peace negotiations with Pakistan Government, a spokesman for the group said and vowed to continue fighting until the ouster of the country's 'secular rulers'.

November 24: Eight persons were killed and 30 others were injured in a remote-controlled bomb blast near a Muharram procession in the Dera Ismail Khan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan commented from an undisclosed location, "We carried out the attack against the Shia community".

November 22: TTP threatened to avenge the execution of Mumbai terror attacks of 2008 convict Muhammad Ajmal Amin Iman alias Kasab. "We will take revenge of Kasab's martyrdom," said TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan, adding, "We strongly demand that his body be returned to Pakistan. If the body is not handed over to the family our reaction will be more severe".

November 21: At least 20 mourners, including two minors, were killed and more than 30, including three Police personnel and five children, were wounded in a suicide blast at a mourning procession taken out from the Imambargah Qasar-e-Shabbir in Dhok Syedan area on Misrial Road in Rawalpindi District of Punjab. TTP claimed responsibility for the attack.

TTP condemned Kasab's death. "There is no doubt that this is very shocking news and a big loss that a Muslim has been hanged on Indian soil," Ehsanullah Ehsan, TTP spokesman, was quoted as saying by news agencies. The extremist outfits showered praises on the Kasab, elevating him to the rank of a "new icon". To them, Kasab had gone thousands of miles away on a "holy mission".

November 17: Four suicide bombers are ready to carry out attacks at Muharram processions in Karachi, an arrested TTP militant, Akhtar Mehsud, told intelligence officials during interrogation. During interrogation, the suspect warned of attacks during the first 10 days of Muharram, claiming that four suicide bombers are already present in Karachi. Rickshaws and motorcycles are expected to be used to launch attacks, especially between Muharram 8 and Muharram 10.

Akhtar Mehsud, was arrested in a raid in Kunwari Colony of Manghopir on November 14, 2012. A few accomplices of the suspect were also arrested later. Mehsud was allegedly involved in attacks on SF in the tribal areas.

November 16: The Punjab Police claimed to have foiled a large-scale terror bid during Muharramul Haram, arresting two militants of Hakimullah Mehsud group of TTP, identified as Shafiq and his son Abdul Rehman, from Gujrat District of Punjab. IG of Police Punjab Haji Habibur Rehman said that a huge quantity of arms, ammunition and explosive material. "The group has gathered arms, ammunition and explosive material in Gujrat, to carry out massive terrorist attacks in the area and other parts of Punjab during Muharram," the IG Police said.

In a letter sent to the Gilgit Baltistan Government the NCMC of Federal Ministry of Interior stated that TTP has dispatched 28 terrorists to Waziristan to get training and procure arms and ammunition to carry out the attacks during the Muharram processions. Deputy IG of Police Ali Sher said he is aware of the possibility of terrorist attacks and assured that all necessary security measures have been taken to maintain peace in Gilgit Baltistan.

November 14: Addressing a news conference at the Police Club in Lahore Police IG of Punjab Police Haji Habibur Rehman claimed that five TTP militants allegedly involved in terrorist activities in Punjab province were arrested in a joint operation by the CIA Police Multan and Makhdoom Rasheed Police. They had planned to carry out terrorism activities during the month of Muharram.

November 12: A member of Dawezai Peace Committee, identified as Adam Khan, was killed in a roadside explosion in Pandiali tehsil of Mohmand Agency in FATA. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the blast.

November 10: The MQM postponed its unofficial nationwide "referendum" asking people whether they want their country to follow the ideology of the Taliban or the vision of the Quaid-e-Azam. The MQM wanted the referendum to highlight people's sentiments against the Taliban, but has now postponed it in the wake of Muharram. However, the party did not provide a future date for the poll.

November 9: The LEAs in Punjab have been put on 'high alert' following intelligence reports that terrorists may strike during the Muharram days. It looks a serious threat as the Home Department of Punjab has directed Regional Police Chiefs to book the suspect terrorists on their watch lists under Anti-Terrorism Act, if they are not found at their listed home addresses. Police sources said the intelligence was that TTP and al Qaeda might be planning to target luxury hotels where foreigners have been staying or visiting and to release "poison into water tanks". And there is always the possibility that they try to kidnap serving or retired government officers and target sensitive installations.

November 8: At least three Rangers personnel were killed and 14 others injured in a suicide attack outside the Sachal Rangers Headquarters in North Nazimabad Block B area of Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh. Mullah Fazlullah faction of TTP claimed responsibility for the attack. The spokesman for TTP-Maullah Fazlullah faction Sirajuddin Ahmad, speaking over telephone, said the attack was "revenge for the arrest, torture and killing of our people" by SF in the region.

Foreign Office spokesperson Moazzam Ali Khan, speaking to reporters in his weekly briefing said, Pakistan hoped that the Afghanistan Government, as well as the ISAF, will take action against TTP 'commander' Mullah Fazlullah, who is currently hiding in Afghanistan. "We have shared dossiers on Fazlullah both with the Afghan government as well as ISAF. We are intensively engaging both sides to take care of this issue. There are some responses and we are closely working on that," he added, confirming that Pakistan had requested authorities in Afghanistan to take action against the militant.

November 7: SIU arrested two extortionists after a brief encounter that took place in the Saeedabad Police jurisdiction and claimed to have recovered two TT pistols from their possession. They both confessed that they masterminded extortion cases and collected the money for the TTP.

Six persons, including SP, Investigation, Hilal Haider and four other Policemen, were killed in a suicide attack in Qissa Khawani Bazaar of Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. TTP claimed responsibility for the attack.

Four militants, two each of Afghan Taliban and TTP militants were killed when outfits clashed in Andar District of Ghazni Province of Afghanistan.

The US officials have confirmed that notorious Mullah Fazlullah, a commander of TTP, is hiding in Afghanistan. Fazlullah was reportedly behind the attack on teenage child rights activist Malala Yusufzai. Citing unnamed US officials, the Washington Post report stated that the TTP leader has escaped retribution by hiding in a section of eastern Afghanistan where the US forces are present but focused on other targets. "Finding Fazlullah is not a priority because he is not affiliated with al Qaeda or with insurgents targeting US and Afghan interests", the officials said as per the report.

November 6: The militants of Mullah Nabi Hanfi group stormed the house of Gul Marjan in the Sarakdan area of Hangu District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and killed a relative of Marjan, identified as Abdul Ghafoor, and injured five others, including a woman and children. The group allegedly attacked Marjan's house for supporting TTP affiliated Mullah Toofan faction.

During the opening day of the new session of the Senate both the ANP and the MQM agreed that TTP have penetrated Karachi (Sindh) but the ANP said they can't be blamed for all the evils while the MQM insisted they should be. ANP Senator Shahi Syed said that people belonging to all political parties and sects were being killed in Karachi. "The name of Taliban is being used by the hired killers. Extortion is being collected in the name of Taliban," the ANP senator said. He expressed fears that the Pakhtun could be targeted in the city in the name of operation against Taliban.

November 5: Three Urdu pamphlets found distributed in parts of Mansehra District, criticise the TTP and exhort the Government to launch a military operation in North Waziristan Agency of FATA. One of the pamphlets, titled "Bachao Pakistan Tehreek" (Save Pakistan Movement) cites the Holy Koran and says the Holy Prophet declares suicide bombing "un-Islamic." The second pamphlet praises the Pakistani Army for its previous operations in Swat and the tribal areas.

JUI-Fazl chief Fazlur Rehman addressing a rally in Peshawar cast doubt on the TTP shooting of child activist Malala Yusufzai, saying he did not believe she was hit in the head. The pro-Taliban cleric Fazlur dismissed the medical assessment.

A senior ANP leader revealed that ANP is being threatened by the TTP, and its activists - especially those from the Mehsud Tribe - are being told to either pay large amounts of money or quit the party otherwise they would have to face dire consequences. He revealed that party workers and the business community were called to the Sohrab Goth area, where they were told not to take the threat lightly. While admitting that Sohrab Goth (Karachi, Sindh) was still a high risk area for the ANP, he said "we cannot surrender to the TTP as Sohrab Goth is one of our strongholds."

November 4: MQM announced to hold a public referendum on November 8, 2012 to have a consensus that the people of Pakistan want a secular Pakistan of Quaid-e-Azam or the rule of TTP in the country. MQM Deputy Convener Farooq Sattar said that the Supreme Court of Pakistan had realised the presence of TTP in Karachi and stated that serious notice should be taken about their presence and had called for action against Taliban in Karachi.

As the Supreme Court has directed the Sindh Government to tackle a growing influx of TTP in Karachi to bring peace back, the security agencies have informed the Federal Ministry of Interior about the presence of at least 25 al Qaeda and TTP-linked militant outfits which have infiltrated the port city and turned it into a battlefield between the LEAs and the miscreants.

The 25 key al Qaeda and TTP-linked militant outfits which have literally taken hostage the port city of Karachi include five factions of the LeJ - LeJ-Al Alami, Qari Zafar group, Qari Shakeel group, Akram Lahori group and Farooq Bengali group. Then there are three factions of TTP, which are active in Karachi - Commander Waliur Rehman group (from South Waziristan), Badr Mansoor group (from North Waziristan) and Mullah Fazlullah group (from Swat). The remaining Jihadi-cum sectarian groups in Karachi include SSP, SMP, ST, DeI, HuM, HM-Al Alami, JeM, JuF, HuJI, TNSM, Jundallah, TILM, LeI, Mehdi Militia, Hezbollah, Kharooj, Tawheed Brigade (TB), Al Mukhtar Group, Punjabi Mujahideen.

November 3: Six people, including Fateh Khan, the commander of Aman Lashkar, an anti-Taliban group, and his two guards were killed, and five others were injured in a suicide attack in Daggar area of Buner District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The TTP claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it had targeted Fateh Khan for leading an armed resistance against the group.

The court also ordered the Sindh Government to take immediate action against all armed groups in Karachi, including the TTP and take serious notice of their presence in the city. In an earlier hearing in the same case, Justice Jamali had said there were reports of around 6,000 and 7,000 TTP having entered the city.

The Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that the Government would move in accordance with the interim order of the Supreme Court on the law and order situation in Karachi and take action against TTP in the city. He said Karachi was turning into a stronghold of the Taliban and some measures against them had already been initiated.

November 2: The TTP claimed responsibility for the recent target killings of peace committee members in Swat District. According to a local media person, TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the target killings and said that the attacks were proof of TTP allies still existing in Swat.

The TTP decided to `deal' with the MQM and rid the people of Karachi of its `suppression'. TTP 'spokesman' Ehsanullah Ehsan called reporters and read out a statement, saying the Taliban had decided to rid the people of Karachi of the suppression of MQM. He said the Taliban had started consultations to work out a strategy for the coming General Election. "Taliban would announce the policy after the official announcement of the General Election," he said.

MQM remained unfazed with TTP's threat and in response MQM leadership reiterated that "it wants an educated and Quaid-e-Azam's Pakistan where everyone enjoys the right to live all in freedom". Faisal Ali Subzwari, the MQM's Deputy Parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly, said the MQM had come to know about the TTP's threat only through the media and had nothing much to comment on it.

MQM Chief Altaf Hussain directed the party to hold a countrywide referendum against the Taliban. The Coordination Committee will decide the final date of the polling. The MQM's media centre said that the party was going to ask a simple question to Pakistanis on the ballot paper, "Do you want a Pakistan of Quaid-e-Azam or a Pakistan of Taliban?"

October 31: The TTP went on a shooting rampage and killed four persons, including three ANP activists, including the party's Sherpao Colony ward President, outside the Al-Naseer PCO under Quaidabad Police Station in Karachi. Investigators suspected that the TTP was behind the attack as the ANP leadership had been receiving death threats from the militant outfit.

The Supreme Court ordered the Sindh Police Chief and other authorities to submit a report on infiltration of over 7,000 TTP militants in Karachi and release of 150 convicts on parole. At the outset of the hearing, the court asked Advocate General Fatah Malik to produce a report on land survey in the city. The Provincial Chief Law Officer stated that the survey could not be conducted, because a suit was still pending disposal in this regard.

October 30: A local leader of ANP, identified as Mian Jan (62), was shot dead within the limits of Pirabad Police Station in Frontier Colony, Orangi Town in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh. A Police Official said that TTP militants had threatened him to quit ANP.

The AEC of CID claimed to have arrested four TTP militants during a raid in the Sultanabad area near Manghopir Road and recovered four TT pistols and two hand grenades from their possession.

October 27: Federal Minister for Interior Rehman Malik invited TTP to serve the country after surrender their weapons said that everyone must have same opinion on security and foreign affairs.

October 26: Unidentified militants shot dead two members of an anti-TTP peace committee in Charbagh area of Swat District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Residents said both victims were members of local peace committee and they blamed the TTP for the killing.

October 25: SIU of Sindh Police claimed to have arrested two alleged militants, identified as Akram Ullah alias Naveed and Murad, of TTP while they were taking extortion from the marble factories in Manghopir area and recovered weapons, hand grenades and stolen vehicle from their possession. The accused had recently given extortion slips of PKR 5 million to the marble factory owners.

October 24: Suspected militants blew up two Government primary schools in Wazir Kallay and Khwajawas Kor areas of Haleemzai tehsil of Mohmand Agency. SFs arrested three local tribesmen with the help of sniffer dogs after the blasts in the area. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the blasts.

October 22: A Constable, identified as Syed Riaz Hussain was shot dead, while ASI Mumtaz and another Policeman was injured when TTP militants opened fire at the law enforcers who were conducting snap checking in Kanwari Colony of Manghopir area in Karachi.

Another schoolgirl from Swat, Hina Khan, who was a pioneer in raising voice against TTP atrocities in the Malakand Valley, is now claiming to be on the TTPs hit list. "I had left Swat with my family because the militants had threatened girls' education there but now I feel I would not be able to go to school in Islamabad after these renewed threats," she said.

Two militants, associated with TTP, were arrested from a local hotel in an operation by SFs in Islamabad.

October 21: Pakistan is reported to have sought extradition of Maulvi Fazlullah who led the TTP occupation of Swat and fled to Afghanistan after a military operation in the valley. Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar made the demand during a meeting with US Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Marc Grossman. Khar urged the US envoy to put pressure on Afghanistan to hand over Fazlullah to Pakistan.

October 19: Two senior officials revealed that TTP's Attaullah, the alleged attacker of Malala Yusufzai was captured during a 2009 military offensive against the militant group but was released after three months. Attaullah is on the run and may have fled to Afghanistan, they said.

October 16: The SFs arrested Orakzai Agency TTP 'commander' and 'amir' Qari Saeed along with his accomplice from Banda Nabi Village in Pabbi tehsil of Nowshera District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Saeed was allegedly in town to plan an attack in Nowshera that would coincide with marking the second anniversary of the slaying of KP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain's son, Mian Rashid Hussain.

The TTP defended the attack on Malala Yusufzai, rejecting that she was an innocent girl and labeling her as a spy of the US.

October 15: Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik announced USD1 million bounty on the leader of TTP who claimed responsibility for the attack on teenage rights activist Malala Yusufzai and has alleged that the plan was hatched in Afghanistan. "This conspiracy assassination plan was made across the border in Afghanistan.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik also said that Pakistani media organisations and some leading television anchors were provided security following threat that they would be targeted by TTP for their coverage of the attempted assassination of Malala.

October 14: Five SF personnel, including SP Rural Khurshid Khan, were killed while 10 Police and FC men were injured when TTP militants attacked two check posts of Mattani Police Station on the outskirts of Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Angered by the coverage of its attempt to assassinate Malala Yousufzai, the TTP has drawn up plans to target Pakistani and international media organisations across the country. TTP 'chief' Hakimullah Mehsud has issued "special directions" to his subordinates in different cities of Pakistan to target media groups.

Women activists belonging to ST dressed in traditional burqas gathered outside national press club to protest in favour of Malala and condemn the TTP.

October 13: Police took into custody three brothers from a house in Bara Ghara area during a search operation, on suspicion of involvement in Malala's assassination attempt, in Akbarpura, Nowshera District. Police are claiming to have recovered arms and documents from the suspects and that they had links with TTP.

Incensed by the attack on teenage child activist Malala Yusufzai, a local jirga, Nepkikhel Aman Jirga, has declared war on TTP until the elimination of militancy from the Swat valley.

The State Department's spokesperson Victorai Nuland said, "We've seen in the past in Pakistan that when the TTP commit truly heinous and outrageous acts like this, it galvanises popular opinion against them."

October 12: The SFs also blew up the house of a TTP 'commander', Ishaq, in the Gulli Bagh area. Ishaq was involved in cross-border terrorism and resides in Afghanistan.

October 11: Barawal peace militia chief, Malik Gul Zada, was shot dead by TTP militants Sabar check-point on Pak-Afghan border in Upper Dir District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. TTP Malakand chapter 'spokesperson' Sirajuddin claimed responsibility for the killing.

At least 50 Islamic scholars belonging to 'Sunni Ittehad Council' declared TTP's attack on Pakistani children's rights activist Malala Yousufzai as un-Islamic. The scholars issued a combined 'fatwa' in Lahore which said that the TTP's interpretation of Islam was incorrect and was deviant from the actual interpretation of the Sharia'h.

October 10: TTP had issued a statement, using Islamic Sharia'h to defend the attack. TTP had said that although they do not believe in attacking women, "who so ever leads a campaign against Islam and Sharia'h is ordered to be killed by Sharia'h."

October 9: The TTP shot award winning children's rights activist Malala Yousufzai in the head on her school bus in Mingora, the headquarter of Swat District, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to avenge her campaigns for the right to education in the militants' former stronghold of Swat. Police said two other girls were also injured in the attack on Malala's school bus.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information, Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that Malala Yousufzai was attacked for her dynamic role towards promoting peace and obtainment of education and that it is high time a crackdown on TTP be launched in North Waziristan and other parts of Pakistan.

October 5: Six TTP militants and one soldier were killed in exchange of fire when militants from Afghanistan side attacked a border security post in Gursal area in Mohmand Agency of FATA.

Two TTP suicide bombers were killed in Sarkadna of Hangu District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, when bombs they were carrying exploded prematurely outside the house of rival TTP 'commander' Maulana Nabi Hanfi at Sarakdna.

On the contrary, talking to reporters from an undisclosed location by phone, the TTP 'spokesman' Ehsanullah Ehsan responsibility for the attack stressed that the bomber first killed 15 men of the Nabi Hanfi group in the building before blowing himself up.

The TTP declined to provide security to a PTI peace march to Kotkai town of South Waziristan Agency and declared that PTI Chairman Imran Khan was a westernised and secular man.

The TTP spokesman said Pakistani politicians were of two types-those who are in power like the PPP, MQM and Awami National Party, were openly hostile to Islam and Mujahideen and the other category was of those who were not yet in power, like the PML-N and PTI, but they also were secular and slaves of the West. "Although we consider Imran Khan a secular and liberal person as he himself proudly claims. So being an ideological Islamic organisation the TTP does not need any sympathy from him (Imran)," said the spokesman.

Mujahideen Jaishul Khilafa (MJK), an offshoot of the TTP distributed a pamphlet in Tank District near Waziristan which warned participants of the PTI "peace march" to stay away and that they themselves would be responsible for any loss of "life or money" caused during the rally.

October 3: Akora Khattak Police raided the house of Qari Ahmad Ali, considered to be affiliated with TTP and recovered weapons from it.

The CTD informed the Punjab Government that some families who left the militancy-hit FATA and took up residence in Rawalpindi District of Punjab have received extortion threats, allegedly from the TTP.

October 2: CID of Sindh Police claimed to have arrested two TTP militants in two separate raids. CID's SSP Fayyaz Khan said that on a tip-off, CID officials conducted raids at Federal Capital Area and Mauripur, arresting two alleged TTP militants Sadiq Mehsud and Shah Alam Mehsud and recovered three pistols, a hand grenade and a cab from their possession.

TTP offer security for Imran Khan's South Waziristan rally. In a meeting of the TTP, the outfit set aside its earlier plans to send suicide bombers to assassinate PTI chief Imran Khan, during his visit to South Waziristan for a "peace march". A TTP spokesperson said, "We are ready to provide them security if they need. We endorse Imran Khan's plea that drone strikes are against our sovereignty. The anti-drone rallies should have been taken out by the religious leaders long ago but Imran had taken the lead and we would not harm him or his followers."

September 28: At least four residents of Sardar Qaymo Kabzai, including a tribal leader, Sardar Saleem Kabzai, were wounded in an armed attack allegedly carried out by TTP in Zhob District of Balochistan.

September 27: Five militants and a security official belonging to the 33 Baloch Regiment were killed when TTP attacked a security checkpost in the Kadakard area of Upper Dir District of KP.

September 26: TTP said they have removed Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmed Bilour from their "hit list" after he offered USD100, 000 for the killing of the filmmaker who produced the anti-Islam movie. "We have totally forgiven him and removed his name from our hit list," TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told the media.

September 24: A 'commander' of TTP, Qari Mohammad Younus, surrendered to SFs in Darra Adamkhel. Official sources said Younus was a close aide of Tariq Afridi, chief of TTP Khyber Agency Chapter.

September 23: Two key 'commanders' of TTP, Matiullah alias Commander Moosa alias Commander Foji and his brother Latifullah alias Naqeebullah alias Rehan Pahari, were killed in an encounter with Police and LEAs in Azakhel area of Nowshera District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

September 20: The US said that although al Qaeda core in Pakistan has become a shadow of its former self, but other active terrorist groups continue to pose a direct threat to the interests of Washington and its allies. "Pakistani and Afghan militant groups -- TTP, the Haqqani Network, and LeT- continue to pose a direct threat to US interests and our allies in the region, where these groups probably will remain focused," said Matthew G Olsen, Director of the NCC.

Pakistan said that groups of TTP sheltering in Afghanistan have infiltrated the border to resume attacks on its SF.

September 19: The Pakistan Army said it killed 29 TTP fighters in the final stage of an operation in Batwar valley of Bajaur Agency in FATA. According to senior security official based in Khar, the main town of Bajaur, around 400 militants had crossed from Afghanistan into Pakistan on August 23, 2012 and attacked villages.

September 17: The Security alert level at Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad was raised to 'red alert' due to intelligence reports received by the Federal Government that TTP would attempt to abduct major political figures, VIPs, or prominent religious leaders of Shia or Sunni sects at the airport.

September 13: Three handwritten Urdu pamphlets on TTP letterheads pasted in Mattani market of Peshawar by militants are warning people not to join peace militias or they will become the target of militant attacks. The letter also said that if anyone had complaints, they should call the TTP directly on a number that was listed in the poster.

September 12: Several leading politicians, including PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif, are on the potential hit-list of the TTP, according to an intelligence report circulated among law enforcement agencies. Also appearing on the list are PPP leader Fakhar Imam and the head of the Shia Ulema Council Pakistan Allama Sajid Naqvi. The report, citing plans of TTP Punjab's 'commander' Matiur Rehman and his associates, also spoke of terror plots being hatched by the group in Punjab.

September 11: The TTP released a video, which shows the eight employees of the Gomal Zam Dam project, who were abducted in the South Waziristan Agency of FATA on August 15, 2012 pleading to authorities for their safe release. "We appeal to the Government of Pakistan and WAPDA to fulfil the demands of TTP and arrange for our safe release as soon as possible," one of the men was shown as saying.

September 9: An important 'commander' of the TTP, Aftab Khan Mehsud, has been reportedly killed eight days back during clashes with SFs in the Zarmelan village of South Waziristan Agency.

SFs pushed TTP militants who came from Afghanistan back across the border after more than two weeks of fighting in a mountainous tribal region. The Government says over 100 people were killed in the offensive. The violence in the Bajaur Agency highlighted the growing problem of TTP militants using sanctuaries in Afghanistan to attack Pakistan.

September 5: Two suspects operating a network for the TTP in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad for generating funds via extortion and kidnapping were arrested by a joint investigation team of Security Forces and Capital Police. On the light of the information given by the suspects, efforts are in progress to arrest the leader of the network operating from UK.

Following 'serious' security threats from the homegrown TTP, the Army and Punjab Police have deployed heavy forces at one of Pakistan's largest nuclear facilities in Dera Ghazi Khan District. "DG Khan houses one of the largest nuclear facilities in the country, and has faced the first-ever serious security threat from the TTP," said a high ranking military officer.

September 4: The Federal Government during a meeting chaired by Interior Minister Rehman Malik asked the Punjab Government to crack down on LeJ without further delay, as most cases of sectarian violence had been claimed by the organisation. The meeting was of the view that analysis of available intelligence suggested that there was a strong nexus between the LeJ and one of the factions of the TTP. It was also observed that the TTP was fuelling sectarian strife in and around Quetta for financial gains.

Pakistan's Interior Ministry warned authorities that a group of TTP militants plan to carry out attacks on targets in Islamabad and Rawalpindi Districts, including the prison where LeT militants charged with involvement in the Mumbai attacks of 2008 are being held. A secret report circulated by the NCMC said Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi is likely to be the "main target" of the militants who intend to "free their accomplices in a prison break."

September 2: At least nine militants, among them key TTP 'commanders', were killed and several others in clashes with the SFs and volunteers of a local peace committee in Batwar area of Salarzai tehsil of Bajaur Agency in FATA.

An explosives-laden device with inscription "first gift from TTP" was discovered from a farm house in the outskirt of Westridge Police Station in Rawalpindi District. A bomb disposal expert said "It was attached to the main iron gate of the farm house owned by Haji Sahib Khan, a businessman who hails from Mohmand Agency.

September 1: Two key TTP militant 'commanders', identified as Shahid Omar and Huzaifa, were killed in clashes with SFs in Batwar area of Salarzai tehsil of the Agency.

August 31: The TTP released a video showing the severed heads of 12 soldiers, as security officials said 15 troops had gone missing following fighting with militants in Batwar area of Bajaur Agency in FATA. TTP spokesman Sirajuddin sent a video showing a militant 'commander' posing with 12 heads arranged on the ground, which he claimed were of the soldiers they had killed.

August 30: SFs killed 18 TTP militants, including two TTP Swat Chapter 'commanders', identifieid as Khatir and Turbai, in Bajaur Agency of FATA.

The tribal elders urged the Government to negotiate a truce with TTP, fighting against SFs in the border areas of Bajaur Agency, and provide food and shelter to the people affected by the clashes.

August 29: Nine SF personnel and six militants were killed while several others wounded in a clash between SFs and TTP militants in Baba Ziarat locality of Ghat Badr in South Waziristan Agency of FATA. Sources said that fierce fighting erupted when militants led by Sher Azam of Waliur Rehman group of TTP attacked an advancing party of SFs in Baba Ziarat area.

TTP key 'commander' Tariq Afridi was reportedly killed by his brother-in-law over a domestic issue in Khyber Agency. Afridi belongs to the Akhorwal tribe of Darra Adamkhel, a town in the Kohat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, TTP denied the report.

August 28: Eleven TTP militants, three SF personnel and a member of Salarzai Qaumi lashkar were killed and several others injured as fighting intensified in Salarzai tehsil of Bajaur Agency in FATA. According to a TTP 'spokesman', 15 security personnel were killed in the fighting, but official sources rejected the claim.

Police claimed to have arrested two alleged suspects in separate raids. In the first raid, CID arrested an alleged TTP militant, identified as Islamuddin alias Kala, from Machchar Colony and recovered a Kalashnikov, three hand grenades and one pistol from his possession.

Bahawalpur Police foiled a major terror bid by arresting two suspected militants of TTP Waziristan Chapter of Qari Imran Group from Bahawalwala area of Ahmadpur Sharqia in Bahawalpur District. They were identified as Muhammad Shabbir and Maulvi Muhammad Riaz.

The intelligence reports said TTP plans to attack the Faisalabad Central Jail to free detained comrades. Intelligence reports prepared for the Punjab Home Department revealed that TTP (Tariq Afridi group) militants were planning to abduct the jail superintendent and storm the facility. About 300 militants are in Punjab's nine central jails.

August 25: In Nowshera, an alleged 'commander' of TTP, Mohammad Farooq Mehsud, was arrested during a joint raid on a mosque in Kheshgi area of Nowshera District. Mehsud had come to Kheshgi to meet Maulvi Abdul Qadeer, the prayer leader of the mosque.

The TTP confirmed the death of Mullah Dadullah, the group's 'chief' for Bajaur Agency, in night of August 24, 2012 US drone strike in eastern Afghanistan. TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan confirmed the death and said, "Mullah Dadullah's death will not dampen our morale and we will avenge his killing." "Maulvi Abu Bakar has been appointed acting chief of the Bajaur Chapter of TTP," he added.

August 24: Eighteen suspected militants were killed and another six were injured when missiles fired by US drones slammed into suspected militants' hideouts in Shawal area of North Waziristan Agency of FATA. Three compounds reported to be used as hideouts by the TTP were targeted in the area adjacent to Afghanistan.

Mullah Dadullah, chief of TTP Bajaur Agency along with his 12 comrades has been killed in drone strike by NATO forces in Kunar province of Afghanistan.

August 23: Army soldiers killed five militants attempting to infiltrate to Pakistan side of border at Maskini Darra area of Lower Dir District. Sources said the militants belonging to the Hafiz Kochwan group of TTP sneaked into the villages of Ankal Sar and Maskini Darra from Afghanistan and fired rockets on check-posts. SFs retaliated with heavy gunfire and killed five militants.

Leaders of anti-Taliban Adezai Qaumi Lashkar developed serious differences on the issue of supporting the Government's initiative against militants in the provincial capital Peshawar. One group of the lashkar has withdrawn support to the Government insisting payment of salary to the special Police force working with the peace body has been suspended, while the other continues offering support and cooperation to the Government against militants.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that there was evidence of presence of TTP in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh and that action was being taken against them. He asked TTP to surrender arms, saying that otherwise the Government was determined to take the campaign against terrorism to its logical conclusion.

A confidential report claims that the TTP is planning more terrorist activities in the country's major cities - Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar and Bannu. The decision was taken at a secret meeting presided by TTP 'commander' Qari Shafiullah Moavia. According to the report, the TTP plans on abducting serving and retired officers and American citizens to collect finances, as well as to negotiate the release of their accomplices in jails or in the custody of intelligence agencies. Qari Moavia has assigned the task to Nauman Moavia.

August 22: Police arrested a militant, identified as Imtiaz, during a raid in Lakki Marwat city in Lakki Marwat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A Police official said that Imtiaz who had links with TTP belonged to Kachi Kamar village of the District and was also a prayer leader in Darra Adamkhel.

August 21: Five militants were killed and two others injured when an US drone fired missiles at a vehicle near Shnakhura village in North Waziristan Agency of FATA. Sources said the area of the drone attacks is dominated by Hafiz Gul Bahadur led faction of TTP.

August 20: The TTP warned the military that it had set up a "suicide bombers squad" to hit troops if an offensive was launched in North Waziristan Agency of FATA. TTP 'spokesman' Ehsanullah Ehsan outlined details about the regiments and units and the possible commander for the campaign, said to be launched on August 26 for one month.

August 19: At least six militants were killed and five others injured in jet planes shelling by SFs on suspected militant hideouts in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency. Sources said that the militants killed in the SFs' action belonged to the TTP.

August 17: The Darra Adamkhel chapter of the TTP announced setting of its new "Fidai" wing "Al-Mansooreen" for carrying out suicide attacks all over the country. Mohammad, the 'spokesman' of the TTP Darra Adamkhel, phoned reporters in Kohat from an undisclosed place to announce that "Al-Mansooreen" had already despatched its commandoes to different parts of Pakistan for undertaking their mission. He said all members of the group were commandoes trained to carry out suicide attacks. He added that Commander Tariq Mansoor himself would head the "Al-Mansooreen" wing. The Darra Adamkhel chapter of TTP has the reputation of being one of the most dangerous in the organisation.

August 16: Militants forced passengers to step out of three buses in the Lulusar area of Manshera District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and shot dead 25 of them in an apparent sectarian attack. The officials said as many as 15 militants wearing army uniforms checked the identification cards of the passengers and then opened fire after learning they were Shias. Officials said the buses were ambushed in the hills of Babusar Top, around 160 kilometres north of Islamabad. The TTP claimed responsibility of killing. In a message, TTP Dara Adam Khel/ Khyber Agency chapter 'spokesman' Muhammad Afridi said that the people killed were Shias who are involved in killing Sunnis against the will of Islam. "We will target them in the future," he said.

Nine terrorists and two security officials were killed when SFs foiled their attack on Minhas PAF base of Kamra in Attock District of Punjab. Earlier, it was reported that seven militants and one official was killed. One plane was damaged in the pre-dawn assault claimed by the TTP. TTP 'spokesperson' Ehsanullah Ehsan has said that four suicide bombers had carried out the attack to take revenge for the killings of Baitullah Mehsud and Osama bin Laden. He claimed that the attackers had succeeded in achieving their targets and had given a "lethal blow".

One The Express Tribune report said that Karachi, it seems, didn't turn out to be a safe retreat for pro-government Pashtun leaders seeking to escape the vengeful Taliban in Swat and tribal areas - refugee-militants have begun targeting Awami National Party workers in the metropolis. The most recent attack was on ANP Sindh central working committee member Amir Sardar, who hailed from Thana, Malakand. Sardar (55), who was associated with the ANP for over 30 years, was shot dead, along with two other ANP Sindh activists, near his home in SITE Town, Karachi, on August 13. The Malakand chapter of TTP claimed responsibility for the killings, claiming Sardar was punished for his assistance to the Police in arresting TTP men. Sher Shah Khan, an elected representative from Swat in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, told The Express Tribune that over 65 people hailing from Swat have been killed in Karachi in target killings, mostly at the hands of the TTP. According to Sher Shah, militants fled to Karachi when the Pakistan Army and paramilitary forces launched an operation in Swat against the Maulana Fazalullah-led militants in 2009. "For a year, they abandoned their activities and remained underground, but later, they started killing pro-government leaders and those who were associated with peace committees in Swat or supported security forces," he said.

August 15: Authorities have moved more than two dozen notorious militants of the TTP from prisons in Karachi and Hyderabad to far-flung institutions in Sindh Province after security agencies alerted them to the TTP's plan to raid prisons in an effort to free its members. "The Ministry of Interior in Islamabad had forewarned the police and officials of prisons in Karachi and Hyderabad about the possibility of attack on jails," Iqbal Mahmood, Additional Inspector General of Sindh Police, told Central Asia Online on August 12. The Ministry's warnings two weeks ago cited reports by intelligence agencies of the TTP's plan to attack prisons.

To forestall any jailbreaks, authorities have shifted about 28 hardened TTP militants to Larkana, Sukkur and Jacobabad, he said, adding they are holding them in separate cells. The most notorious of the transferred inmates are Akram Lahori, Waseem Baroodi, Ishtiaq Bajwa and Ataullah, who were involved in several bombings and masterminded terrorist attacks, Mahmood said. Those detainees will be under watch around the clock, he added. Larkana, Sukkur and Jacobabad are considered safe from militant attack, said Chaudhry Aslam, chief of the Anti-Extremist Cell of the Crimes Investigation Department of Sindh Police.

August 13: Following threats from the TTP, mobile cell-phone dealers fearing attacks from the militant group in Landikotal Bazaar of Khyber Agency have shut down shops. A pamphlet in Urdu distributed by the TTP in Landikotal Bazaar said that the mobile dealers in the market were promoting vulgarity by uploading obscene movies, songs and ringtones in cell phones, which they said were un-Islamic. It further said that the dealers must give up their businesses or face action.

Donations to the TTP during Ramadan have declined steeply compared to past years, Maulvi Mullah Noor Khaliq, a prayer leader in a mosque with 500 men, on University Road in Peshawar, contended. The public's doubt that terrorists deserve charitable donations, he said. "The most lamentable aspect of the TTPs barbarism is that they claim responsibility for every act that kills and injures innocent people, including women and children," he said, noting the Taliban order suicide attacks on mosques and funeral processions, barbaric executions of troops and civilians, and school bombings. How can you expect donations from people victimised by your onslaughts? he asked. "Now, people ... think that the money given to (the TTP) in the name of Allah went into financing of terrorism," he said. "Last year in Ramadan, TTP members visited mosque twice and collected about PKR. 500,000 (USD 5,300) in donations," he said, adding, "But (this year), my followers in the mosque have asked me to deny access to the TTP. ... and I asked them to stay away."

August 12: Ten militants were killed and four others injured when jet fighters bombed their hideouts in Mamozai area of Orakzai Agency in FATA. However, one TTP 'spokesman' Hafiz Saeed said that warplanes had only bombed empty houses and no one was killed.

August 10: Intelligence reports states that the TTP may attack the Pakistan Air Force Base and other security installations in Lahore before Eid to avenge the August 1, 2012 killing of its commander, Ghaffar Qaiserani, at Dera Ghazi Khan.

The TTP described the Government as "liberal and secular" and said they will not hold talks with any political party, including the Awami National Party (ANP) that rules the north western Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said that an offer of talks from the ANP was misleading and that the militants considered the incumbent rulers liberals and secular and thus "not sincere to the cause of Islam".

August 9: A key 'commander' of Swat chapter of TTP and a close aide of Swat Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah, Ehsanullah Ehsan, was arrested during a raid by SFs from a house near the Marhati area under Akora Khattak Police Station in Nowshera District.

The TTP urged the senior clerics in a letter to issue a fatwa (religious edict) against democratic system and SFs, and explain why the TTP had rebelled against the state. A copy of the letter read, "Please go through this letter and help the Muslims know the Taliban stance," read the six-page letter in Urdu, sent by TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan.

The letter appealed to the sentiments of clerics by mentioning how the army was killing the "mujahideen" who, it said, were fighting for enforcement of God's law in Pakistan. The TTP letter also complained about the clerics who were "silent" when the government was publicly acknowledging being a "front-line ally of America and NATO".

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan showed resilience by saying that his party will carry on with the scheduled protest March into Waziristan despite death threats from TTP.

Meanwhile, the TTP said they had not threatened to kill cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan if he holds a march to Waziristan, and blamed a Western news agency for falsely reporting the threat. TTP 'spokesman' Ehsanullah Ehsan said a militant shura will decide on a response to the march planned by Khan's PTI party only a week before it reaches the tribal areas.

August 7: Pakistan's Goodwill Ambassador for Eradication of Polio Aseefa Bhutto Zardari stated that TTP would not be allowed to disrupt the anti-polio campaign. She said, "We will not allow this to happen. We will have a polio-free Pakistan." Aseefa said that her mother, Benazir Bhutto, had started the campaign to eradicate polio from Pakistan.

August 6: During a meeting, jointly chaired by Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Interior Minister Rehman Malik at Chief Minister's house, it was pointed out that TTP was also involved in extorting money from the city's traders. It was also pointed out that Law Enforcement Agencies had arrested 133 extortionists in recent crackdowns in the metropolis.

The pro-government Maulvi Nazeer group of TTP arrested several cadres of Ghulam Jan group after a clash at Wana Bazaar in South Waziristan Agency.

The TTP threatened to kill PTI leader, Imran Khan, if he holds a planned march to Waziristan in September 2012 to protest US) drone attacks. Although the TTP also oppose the strikes, spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said they would attack Imran Khan because he calls himself a "liberal" a term they associate with a lack of religious belief.

August 5: Accusations which could further raise tensions over cross-border raids by terrorists, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that elements of the Afghan Government are likely supporting TTP leader Fazlullah, who is fighting to topple the Islamabad Government.

Afghan officials see Pakistan's suggestion that Afghans are supporting cross-border attacks as an attempt to distract attention from what they say is Pakistan's long history of supporting Afghanistan's Taliban movement and other insurgent factions. "These comments made by the Pakistani interior minister are irresponsible and a baseless allegation," said Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi.

August 4: Pakistani Security Forces arrested five TTP militants who were planning "terror attacks" in Multan and other towns in the region. "The terrorists belonging to Noor Gul faction of TTP were arrested on an intelligence tip-off," Multan City Police chief, Amir Zulfiqar said.

August 2: TTP militants shot dead one Nauman Afridi, brother of the head of a local peace committee, Momin Khan Afridi, in Akhorwal area near Darra Adamkhel town in Kohat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. TTP claimed responsibility for the killing and threatened to continue fighting against the pro-government peace lashkar till withdrawal of SFs from the area.

August 1: According to a handout issued by the Punjab Police, a militant, identified as Abdul Ghaffar Qaisarani alias Saifullah, reportedly the head of TTP, South Punjab Chapter, was killed in an encounter with Police and Law-Enforcement Agencies in Dera Ghazi Khan District.

TTP Chief Hakimullah Mehsud directed his fighters to step up attacks in Punjab province, especially on intelligence organisations and military facilities like the PAF base in Lahore District. The TTP chief has decided to increase terrorist attacks in Punjab to "inflict maximum damage", especially in the provincial capital of Lahore.

During a secret meeting held at Asad Khel village in the lawless North Waziristan Agency of FATA, Mehsud allocated PKR 25 million for attacks targeting the PAF base in Lahore and offices of the ISI, Military Intelligence, Intelligence Bureau and Counter-Terrorism Department. An intelligence report states that the meeting in North Waziristan Agency was attended by top TTP 'commanders', including leaders of the Qari Yasin group, which is listed in the Police's "Red Book" as a high-profile terrorist organisation.

July 31: Pakistan remained a critical partner on counter-terrorism efforts, actively engaging against al Qaeda and the TTP, but its cooperation regarding other terrorist groups, such as LeT, was mixed, noted the State Department's counter-terrorism report for 2011.

July 30: Five militants of the Tariq Afridi group of TTP, including two key 'commanders', were killed by an IED planted by the rival Momin Khan group near Khormatang in Dara Adamkhel.

July 29: A TTP cadre, identified as Shumail Khan, was shot dead near New Sabzi Mandi, Super Highway in Karachi.

July 27: An abducted man, Iftikhar Afzal (36), who was abducted allegedly from Adiala Road in Rawalpindi District by TTP militants for a PKR 200 million ransom on June 28, 2012, was still not recovered. Shahzad Afzal, the younger brother of the victim said, "Two days after my brother was kidnapped, I received a phone call from the kidnapper. And they have been making phone calls after about every week and negotiating on their demand," adding, "During the first telephonic contact, the caller identified himself as a member of the TTP and said Iftikhar was in their captivity. The kidnapper also asked me to arrange PKR 20 crore for the safe release of my brother. However, negotiations continued with the kidnappers and they reduced the ransom money to PKR 5 crore during the latest telephonic talk that took place on July 17, 2012."

July 26: One militant 'commander' was killed during an encounter in Mashugagar area on the outskirts of Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The slain commander was identified as Umer, a commander of TTP in Khyber Agency. An official said that a Police party was sent to the area when they got information about presence of four militants there. The militants tried to escape in a motorcar when the law enforcers approached the area, he added. The official said that upon seeing the police party, the militants left the motorcar and opened firing on law enforcers with automatic weapons. During the encounter, he said, one militant was killed while his three accomplices managed to escape.

The TTP threatened to attack Myanmar to avenge crimes against the Muslim Rohingya, unless the Government halts all relations with the Myanmar and closed its Embassy. TTP Spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan demanded the Government to suspend all relations with Myanmar.

July 25: Unidentified assailants shot dead a high ranking TTP 'commander', Ashraf Marwat, at in the Shaktoi area of South Waziristan Agency. Ashraf Marwat was linked to an attack on a volleyball tournament at Shah Hassan Khel village in Lakki Marwat (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) on January 1, 2010 that killed almost 90 persons and injured another 60. Police blamed Marwat for helping organise the deadly 2010 attack on the Shah Hassan Khel village in which a truck packed with explosives was detonated at a volleyball tournament. Police also say Marwat killed another TTP 'commander', Iftikhar Marwat, reportedly because of his association with Afghan Taliban. The dispute between the two men highlighted tensions within the insurgency. Iftikhar Marwat had apparently urged terrorists from his native Lakki Marwat District to focus their fight on foreign forces in Afghanistan instead of against Pakistani security forces. That angered Ashraf Marwat, who wanted to continue attacks in Pakistan.

July 24: Maulana Waliur Rehman, de-facto chief of TTP warned Islamabad that if it launches operation in NWA in FATA, it will face only failure. "As far as operations in North Waziristan are concerned, the Government will face only failure as they have been facing for the last 10 years in different parts of the tribal regions", Rehman said. "Despite Government claims of success, they have faced failure in all areas during their operations. The Taliban and Mujahideen are even stronger despite the operations against them." "If Pakistan launches operations in North Waziristan against the Haqqani network, we will react in the same manner as we have in other regions against the wrong policies of the Pakistan government," Rehman reiterated in the interview. "The US has long been trying to dismantle the Haqqani network in Afghanistan but they only face failure. Pakistan will also face trouble if it launches operations against the Haqqanis. Such operations will not halt the attacks of the Haqqani network against the US forces in Afghanistan," Rehman added.

Maulana Waliur Rehman, known in militant circles as 'Moulvi Sahib', was one of the founding members of the TTP in South Waziristan Agency, when it emerged in December 2007. Rehman was a former activist of JuI. Rehman, officially a deputy in the TTP, is at present serving as de-facto chief, as his leader, Hakimullah Mehsud, is in deep hiding to avoid US drone strikes. According to Afghan Taliban sources, an Afghan Taliban shura recently advised Mehsud to keep a low profile and avoid militant meetings.

The Government virtually dismantled a panel of parliamentarians it formed in 2011 to initiate peace talks with the home-grown TTP, diminishing prospects of institutionalised dialogue with militants on a pattern being followed by Afghan authorities.

July 23: The Mullah Fazlullah-led TTP warned of attacks during the holy month of Ramadan, saying their jihad is continuing. TTP spokesman Sirajuddin said the group plans to attack Pakistan from its hideouts in Kunar and Nuristan provinces, of Afghanistan. The TTP fled to those provinces after Pakistani troops drove it out of Swat in 2009. The TTP will attack Malakand Division if its people raise lashkars, he said.

July 22: Hardly half a year after forming an alliance on the intervention of Taliban chief Mullah Omar, rival groups of the TTP are once again at each other's throats following the killing of a top militant blamed on a pro-government commander. Tension gripped South Waziristan Agency when Hakimullah Mehsud-led TTP threatened to attack the Wana-based Maulvi Nazir group to avenge last week's murder of Wali Muhammad Wazir. Wali was a younger brother of Nek Muhammad Wazir, the militant commander who had unleashed Talibanisation in Pakistan before he died in the first-ever drone attack in the country in 2004. Wali Muhammad's henchmen took control of the area to hunt down the murderers, but nobody has been identified thus far. Approximately 200 men are associated with his group, and most are non-local. If fighting breaks out between the TTP and Maulvi Nazir group the new fragile alliance of TTP, Shura Muraqba, which was formed February, 2012 after years of infighting, will be at stake.

July 21: A suicide bomber detonated an explosive laden vehicle near the house of a pro-Government militant commander Maulvi Nabi, killing at least nine persons, including four children, three of them being girls, and injuring 13 others, in a war of attrition between two militant outfits in Speen Tall area of Orakzai Agency in FATA. TTP spokesman in North Waziristan Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the attack. He told reporters that Maulvi Nabi was targeted because he was supporting the Government and was against the Taliban. Maulvi Nabi had joined the TTP as a commander for Hangu District, but later developed differences with the militant organisation and shifted to the neighbouring Speen Tall.

July 20: At least 11 suspects, including alleged logistical supporter of TTP and Lyari gangster, were arrested during various raids in the city. Official of the AEC of the CID said that on a tip-off they arrested Naseeb Dad alias Moosa during a raid in Sher Shah area, and recovered a TT pistol from his possession. AEC chief SSP Chaudhry Aslam said that the arrested militant is mainly linked with HuM-A, but currently is working for the TTP. He said that Naseeb used to provide logistical support to the TTP commanders belonging to the Karachi Chapter and also gave responsibility to generate funds for the TTP in Karachi.

Pakistan provided Afghanistan with key "intelligence information" on the hideouts of TTP in Kunar province, demanding their complete elimination and effective measures by ANA and NATO troops for the prevention of cross-border militant attacks in Pakistani frontier regions of Dir, Bajaur and Chitral. The intelligence information on Maulvi Fazlullah-led TTP faction, also known as 'Swat Taliban', was provided by Pakistani officials to their Afghan counterparts during the daylong visit of Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to Afghanistan, diplomatic sources said. Fazlullah and dozens of his followers crossed over to Afghanistan and took refuge in Kunar and other nearby regions after they faced defeat at the hands of Pakistani Army in Swat in 2009.

July 17: Police claimed to have arrested a TTP militant, target killer and member of land mafia in separate raids. Pak Colony Police arrested an alleged member of TTP, identified as Inamullah. The suspect was arrested after a brief encounter when Police conducted a raid about his presence near Mewa Shah Graveyard while four of his companions managed to escape.

A tribal jirga of local Ulema and civic leaders expressed hope that they would be able to convince the TTP to permit oral polio vaccine to be given to children. "We have held talks with elders of the jirga, and they would now meet with Taliban leaders to prevail upon them that vaccination safeguards the children against disabilities and it was the religious duty of the parents to protect their children against diseases," said Siraj Ahmad Khan, political agent of North Waziristan Agency. Even though a nationwide anti-polio campaign began July 16, 318,000 children in North and South Waziristan could lose their chance to be vaccinated because of TTP threats against the campaign, he added.

The polio prevention campaign suffered a double setback when a foreign doctor of the World Health Organisation associated with the immunisation work and his driver were injured in an attack in Karachi and a tribal jirga planned in North Waziristan to prepare ground for launching the campaign there could not be held because of a curfew in force there and concerns about security of health workers. Official sources in Peshawar said the three-day national immunisation campaign was under way in the entire country except North and South Waziristan where TTP had banned it last month.

July 16: Army and Police commandos foiled an attack by burqa-clad TTP militants who planned to take over a Police Station in Bannu city of KP. Four militants were killed. Burqa-clad TTP militants stormed the Police Station used by local intelligence personnel at Bannu and took several hostages, before SFs stormed the building to end the siege. Four Taliban fighters were killed and another captured following a heavy exchange of fire. Two militants wearing suicide vests blew themselves up while two more were shot dead. The fifth attacker was arrested by Police. Around 10 security personnel were injured. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told reporters by telephone that the attackers wore suicide vests and one of them blew himself up while the other was killed in the gunbattle.

July 13: Two soldiers have been killed and several others injured in clashes with militants in Baddar Village of Ladha tehsil in South Waziristan Agency of FATA. TTP spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan claimed that clashes were continuing between the Security Forces and militants in Baddar Village, during which two soldiers had been killed and several others injured.

July 12: Militants shot dead nine trainee jail staffs and wounded three others after storming a building in Ichra complex in Lahore in Punjab where they were sleeping. TTP claimed responsibility of July 11 attack on Ichra complex in Lahore in which nine trainee jail staffs were killed and two others injured.

At least six militants struck a commercial bank branch under Kot Lakhpat Police Station area in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab, in broad daylight and fled away after looting PKR two million. A police officer believed that all the six persons were militants linked with the TTP and the investigators are repeatedly examining the video footage taken from the CCTV cameras.

July 11: SFs raided a house in the Zainy Khel area of Upper Orakzai Agency in FATA and arrested a TTP Orakzai chapter militant, a security official said. The militant was identified as Maseed Khan of the Feroz Khel Tribe. Khan was wanted in multiple attacks on SF's convoys, bombings, planting roadside IEDs along with firing missiles at security check posts in the agency.

July 10: Reacting to the reopening of NATO supply routes, a hitherto unknown TTP faction said that attacks on Army personnel in Gujranwala District of Punjab on July 9 are legitimate. The group, Idara Pasban-i-Shariat, an offshoot of the TTP, criticised the political and military leadership for striking a deal with the US, saying the leadership had betrayed the nation by resuming supplies to NATO forces in Afghanistan. The cadres of the group distributed pamphlets in Miramshah bazaar in North Wazistan Agency of FATA. The pamphlet said the Army and the Government had been giving an impression for the last few months that relations with the US had been severed. But now, it said, Generals and the political leadership had opened supplies for NATO forces although the US Government neither tendered an apology nor stopped drone attacks.

July 9: Unidentified militants killed eight security personnel at an Army camp near Wazirabad town in Gujranwala District of Punjab, officials said, hours after a protest march of the DPC passed through the area. The TTP claimed responsibility for the killings. The TTP spokesman said the Punjab chapter of the outfit had carried out the attack. They would continue such attacks in the future also, particularly in Punjab, he added.

Police arrested two senior militants of Swat chapter of TTP, identified as Iqbal alias Qari Basit, a resident of Shangla District, and Ijazullah, a resident of Torghar District, from Battagram District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Police sources said that they are planning attacks on targets in the Battagram District. Police recovered a number of suicide vests and other lethal weapons from the possession of the arrested militants. Qari Basit was accused of planning a suicide attack on public meeting of the PML-Nawaz leader Amir Muqam in 2011 in Battagram, killing several people.

July 7: Police arrested two senior militants of Swat chapter of TTP, identified as Iqbal alias Qari Basit, a resident of Shangla District, and Ijazullah, a resident of Torghar District, from Battagram District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Police sources said that they are planning attacks on targets in the Battagram District. Police recovered a number of suicide vests and other lethal weapons from the possession of the arrested militants. Qari Basit was accused of planning a suicide attack on public meeting of the PML-Nawaz leader Amir Muqam in 2011 in Battagram, killing several people.

July 5: Unidentified persons shot dead a militant 'commander' along with his aide in Kalosha village of South Waziristan Agency in FATA. Sources said that Wali Mohammad, brother of TTP 'commander' Nek Mohammad, along with his aide was asleep in the apple farm of his uncle when two armed persons sneaked into the orchard and opened firing on them. Wali Mohammad and his friend, whose name couldn't be ascertained, were killed on the spot.

July 3: TTP threatened to attack trucks carrying supplies to US-led NATO troops in Afghanistan after Islamabad and Washington reached a deal to re-open the lines. "We will attack NATO supplies all over Pakistan. We will not allow anyone to use Pakistani soil to transport supplies that will be used against the Afghan people," the outfit's spokesman told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location.

July 2: Police arrested two alleged TTP militants and a gangster in separate raids conducted in the city. A police official informed that two alleged militants of the TTP, Faisal Mehsud and Khan Mohammad alias Sajid, were apprehended from Orangi Town. He said that the accused were allegedly involved in the killings of ASI Nadeem and Constable Sajid. Separately, an alleged gangster Shaukat was arrested from Pak Colony along with his Kalashnikov and narcotics. Police officials said that the suspect was associated with Ghaffar Zikri group and involved in several targeted killings.

July 1: TTP 'spokesman' Mullah Mansoor was among 34 militants killed in clashes with SFs since last three days (June 29-July 1) along Pak-Afghan border in Upper Dir District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to a private TV channel, Mansoor was among 34 terrorists killed in fighting with SFs in Upper Dir two days back. Official sources have also confirmed the death. Mansoor belonged to the Khaal area of Dir and was 'spokesman' and important 'commander' of the TTP. Skirmishes between SFs and militants have been going on for the last three days on Pak-Afghan border in Lower Dir, wherein some 34 terrorists have been killed.

June 27: The bullet-riddled body of chief of the anti-Taliban Bazidkhel Qaumi Lashkar (community militia), Fahim-ur-Rehman, who escaped at least seven attempts on his life since 2008, was found in his white Land Cruiser on the Ring Road of Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Both the TTP and LI have claimed responsibility for the murder of Mr Rehman and his three associates. "We killed Fahim and his comrades. They raised a militia against us and wanted to defeat us," Ehsanullah Ehsan, the spokesman for the TTP, told journalists by phone. On their part, the LI said they would soon release a video of the four slain men.

The TTP released a video showing severed heads of 17 Pakistani soldiers, who they claimed to have killed in a cross-border attack on a checkpost in Pakistan. The beheading, claimed by the TTP, took place on June 24 when TTP militants from Afghanistan infiltrated into the Upper Dir District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A senior security official in Peshawar confirmed that a total of 17 soldiers were targeted by the attackers who came from the eastern Afghan province of Kunar. "Six troops were killed on the first day, then another seven were slaughtered the next day," the official said. "Four were missing and now they have also been beheaded," he said.

June 26: A senior TTP 'commander', Umar, was killed during a Police encounter in Mashugagar area in the outskirts of Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Sources said the incident occurred when Police flagged down a vehicle carrying some suspected persons. Instead of stopping the vehicle, militants tried to manage their escape and opened fire on Police team. Retaliating to the firing, police also opened fire and killed a militant identified as Umar on the spot, while three militants managed to escape. Police also recovered a hand grenade, pistol and cartridges from the possession of the slain commander.

June 25: TTP militants on motorcycles opened fire at the offices of local news channel Aaj TV in Karachi, injuring two persons, including a security guard. The TTP claimed responsibility for the shooting, and threatened attacks against other television channels that did not feature the Taliban point of view. "We had informed the management of Aaj TV to include our view on issues, but the channel had become a mouthpiece of the government," Ehsanullah Ehsan, spokesman for the TTP said. "Geo TV is going to be our next target if they do not change their behaviour towards us. They have been using very bad language against the Mujahideen."

The TTP admitted for the first time that they are using the Afghan soil as a springboard for launching attacks on Pakistani SFs. The acknowledgment gives credence to Islamabad's claims that the TTP has found safe havens in Afghanistan's eastern provinces bordering Pakistan. Pakistani officials believe that the top TTP cadres - including Maulana Fazlullah, Maulvi Faqir and Waliur Rehman - and hundreds of their loyalists had fled a string of military offensives in Swat, and Bajaur and Mohmand agencies since 2008 to seek shelter in Afghanistan. "Maulana Fazlullah is leading TTP attacks from Afghanistan's border provinces and is in touch with fighters in Malakand division," Sirajuddin, the spokesperson for TTP's Malakand chapter, told The Express Tribune over phone from an undisclosed location. "We regularly move across the porous border," he added. He claimed that Fazlullah was commanding over a thousand diehard fighters.

June 22: The TTP claimed on June 22 that they had beheaded seven SF personnel, who were kidnapped on June 21 after a clash with SFs near Laddah in South Waziristan Agency of FATA. TTP spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan called journalists from an unspecified location and said the TTP had killed all the seven SF personnel. The beheading claim was also made by TTP's spokesman for SWA Asim Mehsud.

Lakki Marwat Police arrested Muhammad Tahir, brother of local TTP 'commander' Ashraf Ali.

Militants blew up a bridge on a canal in Malikdinkhel area of Bara Tehsil in Khyber Agency. June 20: At least 13 TTP militants were killed and several others injured when helicopter gunships bombed their positions in Tirah valley of Khyber Agency in FATA. According to security sources, the helicopters destroyed five TTP hideouts in Dwa Thoe and a local militant 'commander' was among those killed.

More Kukikhel families moved out of Toor Darra after TTP-Tariq Afridi faction took control of the area. The families crossed over to Afghanistan and reached Jamrud through the Torkham border after walking for three days from Tirah via Nangarhar province of Afghanistan. All the routes to Jamrud from Tirah are either under the control of TTP or activists of the LI.

June 15: Revered social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi has been given round-the-clock protection, for the first time in Karachi, against an alleged TTP threat, officials said. "There is a threat to him by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which wants to kidnap him and use him to get their detained militants released in exchange," an unnamed security official said. Aslam Khan, a senior Police official, said, "A letter containing a hit-list has been intercepted, which includes Edhi and two police officials, including me," he said. But Edhi's son and deputy, Faisal, told AFP that the TTP had visited his father's office on June 6 to assure him that he was not a target. "They told my father that they respect him and admire whatever he does, and won't target him ever," Faisal said.

June 14: SFs and a tribal lashkar repulsed a TTP attack on a check post in Upper Dir District of KP from Afghan Province of Kunar, killing six attackers and injuring many, official sources said. According to sources, the militants, who had taken shelter in Kunar Province after the military operation in the Malakand division, attacked the Bin Darra check post in Brawal area with rockets and heavy weapons. The SFs and lashkar volunteers countered the attack and inflicted casualties on attackers. This was the first attack in 2012 after the army's deployment in the border areas of Upper Dir. However, TTP (Swat) denied that militants had suffered any casualty.

June 11: TTP, Mehsud faction, in a pamphlet distributed in South Waziristan Agency, gave a final warning to residents to evacuate the area. According to the pamphlet distributed by the militants in the Mehsud territory of South Waziristan, it appealed to all residents of the Agency to vacate the Agency owing to the war in FATA. A general amnesty was also extended to all persons leaving the area.

It added that no NGO or any NGO contractors were allowed to operate in the area. Rather it termed them as legitimate targets. Included in this list were employees associated with educational activities, health, and members of the Khasadar force. The handout said that these people, if caught working will be treated as criminals. The militant group also warned that house owners, and others who had helped members of the Mehsud tribe live in or settle in Waziristan, had committed a crime. The notice also carried a warning for those operating transportation enterprises. The handout said these people were committing an "unpardonable crime".

The TTP took full control of Kukikhel-dominated areas of Tirah Valley in Khyber Agency as more families left their homes and moved to Jamrud town of the Agency. Sources said that besides fortifying their positions in the newly-occupied localities, TTP had also torched houses of some Kukikhel elders in Bagh and Sra Vela. They said that the TTP made announcements on loudspeakers from local mosques and asked residents to hoist white flags atop their houses and volunteer one person from each family to join the outfit. One resident of Jamrud, Muhammad Irfan, told the media that except for Puk Darra and Daman-e-Koh, all areas, including Sra Vela, Bagh, Pathai, Ghakhai, Baarhi Saporhi and Maniyakhel, had fallen to TTP and residents had moved to Ali Masjid and Ghundi in Jamrud. He however, denied that any offer had been made by the political administration to any of the displaced families and said they had not received any assistance from local authorities.

"The entire Tirah Valley, except Bazaar Zakakhel, is now under effective control of three militant groups, TTP (Tariq Afridi group), Mangal Bagh-led Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) and Ansarul Islam (AI)," confirmed Bakhtiar Mohmand, Assistant Political Agent of Jamrud.

June 9: The CID of Sindh Police claimed to have arrested a TTP militant belonging to Sher Zaman faction, identified as Jahangir Khan Akakhel, along with his weapon, after a brief encounter near Nadir Hospital on Super Highway. The accused, during initial course of investigation, confessed to have been involved in several heinous crimes, including murders, attempt to murders, abduction-for-ransom, extortion and Police encounters.

June 8: The body of a Khasadar (tribal Police), identified as Ghulam Rasool, who was abducted few days ago on an unspecified date, was found in Ingeer Khura area of Hangu District. TTP claimed responsibility for the abducting and killing of the Khasadar. TTP sources said that they killed the Khasadar because he was a Government servant and fighting against them in the tribal area. The deceased was serving in Khasadar Force in Orakzai Agency of FATA and had come to Hangu for some personal work from where he was kidnapped few days ago.

Hundreds of families were forced to flee when TTP launched a fresh offensive against Kukikhel tribe in Tirah valley of Khyber Agency in FATA. Sources said that about 500 families, belonging to Maniya Khel and Sra Vela localities of Tirah, reached Ghundi village of Jamrud tehsil while around 300 more temporarily settled down in Ali Masjid area.

June 6: June 6: Nine militants, including a local TTP 'commander', were killed during the clash between the volunteers of Kukikhel tribe in Tirah valley of Khyber Agency in FATA. It is learnt that TTP 'commander' Nazir Afridi was among the dead. He was a nephew of LI Chief Mangal Bagh and brother-in-law of TTP 'commander' Tariq Afridi.

June 5: At least 20 TTP militants were killed in retaliatory fire by SFs when a group of militants attacked the Salala checkpost along the Af-Pak international border in Mohammad Agency of FATA. The Salala checkpost, which was attacked by NATO forces on November 26, 2011, severely straining Pakistan-US relations. According to security officials, the attack was repulsed and 20 militants were killed and several others injured. According to them, one soldier was killed and three others injured in the exchange of fire. However, the TTP rejected SFs' claim about casualties of militants and said only one militant had been killed and three injured. The TTP 'spokesman' Ehsanullah Ehsan said by phone that six soldiers had been killed in the attack and eight injured.

At least six militants were killed when Kukikhel peace lashkar clashed with Tariq Afridi group of TTP in Dwa Thoe area of Tirah valley in Khyber Agency. TTP had earlier claimed to have captured some bunkers previously occupied by Kukikhel volunteers in the same locality. Zabita Khan, a Kukikhel elder in Jamrud, said that reinforcements were dispatched to Tirah. He claimed that the tribal volunteers had besieged TTP from three sides. Taliban would soon be flushed out from Kukikhel area as the entire tribe was against their presence, he added.

June 4: 10 militants were killed in aerial shelling in Dwa Thoe area of Tirah valley in Khyber Agency. Security officials said that fighter planes targeted hideouts of Tariq Afridi group of TTP in Dwa Thoe area in the morning that resulted in killing of 10 militants. The hideouts of Taliban were also destroyed in the bombardment, they added.

May 23: Three militants and a peace volunteer were killed and one was injured in a clash in Tirah valley in Khyber Agency. Sources said that Tariq Afridi group of TTP ambushed a patrolling party of Kukikhel peace volunteers in Dwa Thoe area, killing one of them and injuring another. The killed peace volunteer was identified as Naseer Afridi. The Kukikhel volunteers claimed that they killed three TTP militants in retaliatory firing. A jirga of Kukikhel elders, held few weeks ago, had resolved to expel all militants from their area. The jirga had also decided to punish harbourers of militants.

May 17: The Police claimed to have arrested an important militant 'commander' Maulvi Abdur Razaq, associated with Swat chapter of TTP, during a raid in Kot area of Charbagh tehsil in Swat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He was wanted to the Police in the 2007 attack on Police checkpost in Charbagh.

May 15: The TTP released the video of April 15, 2011, Bannu jail attack. The video shows TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud briefing his team of warriors through a map containing different routes leading towards Bannu jail. He is also briefing them about inside situation of the jail. The videotape shows some 150 fighters, including Hakimullah Mehsud and Waliur Rehman, gathered at one place, forming a strategy to assault the jail and attacking it with heavy weaponry without facing any hurdle from Police. Scenes after the attack are also filmed in the tape when the top terrorists are escaping from the jail. The tape also contains messages of Adnan Rasheed who was allegedly involved in plotting the murder of Former President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. The 34-minute video is being openly sold in various areas of North Waziristan Agency and South Waziristan Agency of FATA.

May 12: A Policeman was killed and 20 others, including six cops and a woman, were injured when two vans carrying prisoners to Mardan were attacked outside Gulbahar Police Station on GT Road in Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. "It was a remote-controlled blast that targeted two police vehicles carrying prisoners," Police officer Javed told reporters at the site of the attack. The TTP claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that it was "reaction" to Dr Aafia Siddiqui's imprisonment in the United States. Ehsanullah Ehsan, a spokesman for the TTP, said that the attack was the work of a sister organisation [of the TTP], seeking revenge for the imprisonment of Dr Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani scientist jailed in the US.

May 9: At least 10 TTP militants were killed and several others injured when Army helicopter gunships heavily pounded suspected hideouts in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency in FATA near Afghan border.

May 8: 39 persons were killed in two days of clashes between SFs and militants in Miranshah area of North Waziristan Agency of FATA. Officials said 12 SF personnel, 10 civilians, including women and children, and 17 militants were killed. The officials said 72 persons were injured, adding that casualty figure could go up because some persons were still trapped under the debris of houses flattened by flying shells from explosions in arms and ammunition stores hit by helicopter gunships. Most of the militants were killed in an artillery attack on a compound. They were militants of TTP comprising both Punjabi and Mehsud fighters.

May 6: Nine soldiers were killed and 12 more injured when unidentified militants ambushed a military convoy at Amin Check post, a security outpost on a hilltop outside Miranshah, in North Waziristan Agency of FATA. It was not known exactly who attacked the convoy, but one security official, requesting anonymity, said the TTP were behind the attack.

May 5: 16 TTP militants, belonging to different tribes, including Masoodzai, Ali Sher, Afridi and Manttak (Orakzai), surrendered to the Government authorities in Kurram Agency. The militants gave up their weapons before the political administration in presence of the media in Parachinar, the headquarters of the region. "We have shunned all [militant] activities and ready to stand with our people and Law Enforcement Agencies," a militant was quoted as saying. "We want to start our new life because we were compelled to cooperate with TTP militants when they started their activities in Kurram Agency. Now we have realised that they are killing our own people and not waging a jihad... rather it is bloodshed of the innocent people."

Police arrested two militants, identified as Ilyas and Akbar Zeb, affiliated with the Maulana Fazlullah faction of TTP, during a raid in Zarakhela area within the jurisdiction of Shamozai Police Station in Swat District.

May 4: A suicide attack targeting SFs killed at least 29 persons, including four Policemen, and injured over 73 others at Khar Bazaar in Khar town of Bajaur Agency in FATA. The target of the attack was Levies Force. TTP claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement emailed to The Express Tribune. TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan said that their targets were Levies officials Subedar Major Javed Khan and Subedar Quarter Master Fazl Rabi. Fazal Rabi, according to Ehsan, was honoured with a 'presidential award' (Tamgha-e-Shujaat or medal of bravery) for killing several TTP militants. "While (Subedar) Major Javed was involved in the killing of Shaikh Marwan," he said. Shaikh Marwan was an Arab militant 'commander' who was killed by Levies personnel before the 2008 military operation in Bajaur Agency. The TTP 'spokesperson' Ehsanullah Ehsan further said that the group knew all those involved in 'activity' against the Taliban, and warned that such people "will be treated with iron hands".

May 1: At least two passers-by, identified as Tanveer (14), a student, and Muhammad Khalid, a clerk at University of Balochistan, were killed and 16 others, four of them security personnel, were injured in a powerful remote-controlled explosion near Irrigation Colony on Saryab Road area in Quetta. TTP spokesman Sar Kalam Khan claimed responsibility for the attack. According to Quetta Capital City Police Officer Ehsan Mehboob, it was a remote-controlled blast and the target was a FC convoy. Two passers-by were killed and 16 others injured. "Civilians suffered casualties and loss in the explosion, while vehicles of Security Forces were partially damaged," he added.

A TTP spokesperson Asim Mehsud said that "we will continue to carry out attacks such as the one in Bannu," while denying reports that escaped prisoners were handed over under any truce with the Government. Asim denied reports published in a Peshawar (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) based Urdu daily which stated that the TTP had decided to hand over the escaped prisoners to the Government as their sole aim was to release Adnan Rashid. "There were no talks between the government and the TTP for the release of the prisoners, neither any plans to hand them back to the government," Asim said. Commenting on the condition of the escaped prisoners, the TTP spokesperson said that all prisoners had reached safe locations. As reported earlier, the TTP militants had attacked the Bannu jail on April 15, 2012.

April 25: Three TTP militants and as many members of a peace committee were killed during a clash in Darra Adamkhel area of Kohat District in KP. Sources said that two other members of the peace lashkar, led by Momin Khan Afridi, received injuries when they traded fire with Tariq Afridi group of TTP. One of the militants was also injured in the clash, sources added. Both Tariq Afridi and Momin Afridi are residents of Akhorwal area of Darra Adamkhel. Sources said that militants of Tariq Afridi group sneaked into Darra Adamkhel to attack SFs and local tribesmen but their presence was noticed by members of Momin Afridi group.

A comedian who poked fun at the TTP's practice of apprehending thieves and meting out summary punishment to them was abducted from Matani, a suburb of Peshawar, while he was entertaining guests at a wedding. Around 20 militants entered the guesthouse where he was performing and abducted him by saying that they "needed an entertainer urgently". "They told people not to panic and that Nisar is being taken away only for a few days. They said he will not be harmed".

April 22: Officials of the FC claimed to have arrested three suspected militants belonging to TTP and LeJ during a rand on a small house near the Hazara graveyard in the Brewery Road area of Quetta.

SFs arrested an important 'commander' of the TTP, Maulana Abdul Jalil, during a search operation in Sadda Bazar area of Kurram Agency in FATA. He belongs to Mullah Toofan group.

April 20: The TTP said that they conducted the Bannu jailbreak operation to free Adnan Rasheed, the alleged mastermind of the assassination attempt on former President General Pervez Musharraf. "Though there were some other high profile prisoners in the jail, our prime target was Adnan Rasheed and we are so happy to secure his release," Ehsanullah Ehsan, spokesman for the TTP said. He said they had been working on the jailbreak plan for the past several months and were in touch with Adnan Rasheed and other prisoners in the jail. Adnan Rasheed belongs to Chota Lahore village in Swabi District and was serving in the Pakistan Air Force when he was apprehended by Pakistani security agencies for his alleged role in the attempt to assassinate General Musharraf.

The TTP spokesman claimed that only 150 militants were involved in the attack on the jail. "Out of 150 people, only 50 took active part in the operation while the remaining100 were wearing explosives-laden jackets and were standing in different places outside the jail. We did not face any resistance as we had already made all possible arrangements for the jailbreak," Ehsanullah said. He denied spending PKR 220 million on the jailbreak operation. "Do you believe we will pay someone? None can dare ask the Taliban to pay them," he remarked. The Taliban spokesman claimed that they got 400 militants freed from the jail.

April 19: Clashes between tribesmen backed by SFs' helicopter gunships and militants left at least nine persons dead and several others injured in Shawa tehsil of NWA in FATA. According to an official, the heavy gunfight between supporters of tribal elder Satar Qabalkhel and militant's of Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction of TTP started at 6am and continued till 3pm. Later, helicopters were sent to pound the positions of militants who had besieged the Qabalkhel Wazir tribe. Sources said militants loyal to Sirajuddin Haqqani of Afghanistan also took part in the clashes. Four supporters of Satar Qabalkhel and at least five militants were killed in the clash. It is the first time that a tribe has challenged the might of the TTP in NWA, report said. Satar Qabalkhel, who wields influence in Shawa tehsil, is a TTP deserter.

April 18: According to an intelligence agency's report, TTP chief Hakeemullah Mehsud convened a meeting in North Waziristan Agency of FATA to plan targeted attacks in case of the expected resumption of NATO supplies. An extract of the intelligence report states that Mehsud convened a meeting with several senior 'commanders' of TTP, Afghan Taliban and al Qaeda on an unspecified date of February 2012.

The report adds that in case of the resumption of NATO supplies, the militants will show their anger through terrorist activities across the country, including targeting high-profile personalities. The report says possible targets not only include US diplomats and their bases in Pakistan, but also Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik, PTI leader Imran Khan and Maulana Fazlur Rehman of JUI-F.

Another report revealed that the Jundullah group also held a meeting to plan out attacks across the country, particularly in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Lahore District of Punjab. It added that the group had established an Army of 21 militants for the purpose. They said 'Army' will report to Hakeemullah Mehsud, who will also assign the targets. It said that the targets assigned to this group would be Government offices, sensitive installations, important personalities and law enforcement agencies.

Another report says that five TTP militants have entered Punjab from the Darya Khan Bridge in a double-cabin vehicle and are armed with huge quantities of explosives, ammunition and different numbered license plates. It identifies two militants Waqar and Atique as the masterminds behind attacks planned in the metropolitan cities and mentions two suspected suicide bombers from Orakzai Agency of FATA.

April 16: Police announced reward money for the arrest of 24 gangsters of Lyari, including the bigwigs of PAC. The names of five alleged members of the TTP have been proposed for being placed in the list of most wanted terrorists with reward money on them. The names of PAC leaders Uzair Baloch and Zafar Baloch have been placed on top of the list with a bounty of PKR 3 million each. Besides, PKR 2.5 million proposed for the arrest of TTP militants, including Sher Zaman Mehsud and Khan Zaman Mehsud. The list prepared by the Anti-Extremist Cell of the CID has now been sent to the Home Department for its approval.

A militant 'commander' who helped plan an assault on the Bannu central jail said his group had inside information. "We had maps of the area and we had complete maps and plans of the jail as well," the 'commander', a senior member of the TTP, told Reuters. "All I have to say is we have people who support us in Bannu. It was with their support that this operation was successful."

A terrorist freed by TTP militants was in touch with the outside world through a mobile phone, Facebook and blogs. Over 380 other prisoners besides Adnan Rashid, who was on death row for an attempt to assassinate former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, escaped from the Central Jail at Bannu. Rashid, a former junior technician of the Pakistan Air Force, was active on several social networking sites including Facebook and contributed to blogs from inside prison, the report said. He was in contact with persons outside the prison, including several journalists, through his mobile phone and even sent SMSs to the reporters.

April 15: Hundreds of TTP militants stormed a prison in Bannu town in Bannu District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and freed nearly 400 inmates, including one on death row for trying to assassinate former President General Pervez Musharraf. "Between 1:30am and 2am, dozens of armed militants stormed the prison and attacked the facility from all sides with heavy weapons," Bannu Prison Superintendent Zahid Khan said. Sources said the attack by around 200 militants was aimed at rescuing Adnan Rashid, a TTP militant who was convicted of an attack on Musharraf. TTP 'spokesman' Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the attack. "We attacked the Bannu prison and got our special members freed," Ehsan told reporters on phone. "In a couple of days when all of them have reached their designated places we will issue details about them. At the moment I cannot give you exact numbers."

A trooper was killed when militants attacked a checkpost at Dery Deki area in Ladha tehsil of South Waziristan Agency. Sources said that the attack on the post in Dery Deki area was repulsed. However, a TTP 'commander', Shamim Mehsud, said four SF personnel were killed in the pre-dawn attack.

Security Forces arrested a TTP 'commander', Gul Rahim, along with his accomplice from a hotel during a brief encounter in Taxila town of Rawalpindi District in Punjab. Authorities said Gul had escaped to Karachi after the Army operation in Swat of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and was now going back home when captured in Taxila. A Kalashnikov, a pistol and bullets were recovered from the possession of the arrested militants.

April 14: A soldier of Levies Force, Zafar Khan, was killed when militants attacked two checkposts in Haleemzai and Khewazai areas of Mohmand Agency in FATA in the morning. TTP Mohmand chapter 'spokesman' talked to local journalists by telephone and claimed responsibility for the attacks.

April 10: The TTP claimed responsibility for the abduction of four members of a pro-government militia in Tank District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on March 25. The abducted men have been identified as Gul Muhammad, Mukhtiar, Abdul Wahab and Rehman. Speaking from an undisclosed location, the TTP 'commander' for North Waziristan Agency, Asmatullah Shaheen, said that the four men were abducted from Umer bus terminal. "We will kill them one by one if our demands are not met," he threatened, without mentioning what the demands were. "We will not tell the media what the demands are, but they need to be met within a week."

April 5: A suicide bomber targeted a senior Police Officer, Superintendent of Police (SP) Anwar Ahmed Khan, said to be a leading name in the crackdown on militants, killing four passers-by and injuring 17 others in the Malir area of Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh. TTP claimed responsibility for the attack.

April 2: Five SF personnel were killed when a group of TTP militants from across the Afghanistan border attacked a security post at Olai checkpoint in Mohmand Agency of FATA. A spokesman for the TTP, Mohmand chapter, Mukarram Khurasani said only one of his colleagues was killed in the gun battle and claimed that heavy losses had been inflicted on SFs.

April 1: A key TTP 'commander', Nasir Khan Zakakhel, was killed during a clash with SFs at an undisclosed location of Orakzai Agency in FATA. Nasir Khan Zakakhel belonged to Zakakhel tribe of the Jamrud tehsil of Khyber Agency.

In a bid to impose their own puritanical version of Islam, the TTP introduced "moral policing" in parts of north-eastern Afghanistan, Afghan Police claimed. Key leaders of the TTP - including its 'commanders' in Swat, Bajaur Agency and Mohmand Agency Maulana Fazalullah, Maulvi Faqir and Abdul Wali - and dozens of their loyalists had fled military operations and sought sanctuary in the Afghan provinces of Nuristan and Kunar. Sporadically, they have been mounting cross-border attacks on Pakistani border guards in Chitral and Dir Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They have introduced "moral policing" on the pattern of the Taliban-era 'Department for the Preservation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice' in Kamdesh District of Nuristan province. Their armed vigilantes roam the streets to stop what they believe are un-Islamic activities. "Turbaned and bearded Pakistani Taliban fighters, clad in black clothes, punish local people for shaving or trimming beards, using mobile phones and even eating Naswar," Provincial Police Chief Ghulamullah Nuristani told The Express Tribune by phone. These vigilantes, according to Nuristani, are affiliated with a TTP group, led by Maulana Fazlullah, the infamous cleric who had fled his stronghold in Swat District following a military operation in 2008. However, Sirajuddin, a TTP 'spokesperson', denied the claim. So did the Afghan Taliban. The Taliban's shadowy Governor for Nuristan, Sheikh Dost Muhammad, dismissed Nuristan's claim as "part of propaganda to undermine the Taliban's growing popularity in the region".

March 29: A US drone launched a missile attack on a militant compound in a market area of Miramshah, the main town in North Waziristan Agency, in FATA, killing four TTP militants and injuring two others. "Two missiles hit a house at about 3:00 am and four militants were killed," a security official said under the condition of anonymity. An intelligence official also put the toll at four dead and said two people were wounded.

Mullah Toofan, a TTP 'commander' of Orakzai chapter, asked the Tirah Valley (Khyber Agency)-based AI militant outfit to surrender the killers of his brother or face the consequences. The sources said the threat was received by AI 'chief' Qazi Mehboob in a letter sent by Noor Jamal alias Mullah Toofan. A younger brother of Mullah Toofan and his associate were shot by unidentified assailants in Salamdin Pir area of Maidan in Tirah valley a week ago.

March 25: The TTP threatened to attack lawmakers if they voted in support of resuming supplies for NATO troops in Afghanistan. "Everybody knows we are against restoration of NATO supplies and we will target each and every members of parliament who will support the restoration," TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told AFP in a telephone call from an undisclosed location. "We are also advising the drivers of NATO supply trucks to quit this job otherwise they will be responsible for any consequences," Ehsan said.

March 24: At least 12 militants and four soldiers were killed in a clash between SFs and TTP during a search operation in Shin Warsak area of South Waziristan Agency in FATA.

10 militants and three soldiers were killed after TTP militants stormed a check post in Khadizai area of Orakzai Agency, a senior military officer said.

Dozens of French Muslims are training with the TTP in the north western region of Pakistan, raising fears of future attacks following the shooting deaths of seven people in southern France allegedly by a man who spent time in the region, revealed Pakistani Intelligence Officials. Approximately 85 Frenchmen have been training with the TTP in the North Waziristan Agency of FATA for the past three years, according to the intelligence officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

March 23: At least 13 persons, including eight LI militants, were killed and four others got injured when a TTP suicide bomber blew himself up at Dars Jumat mosque in Sandapal area of Bara tehsil in Khyber Agency of FATA. Official sources said that a militant was planting a remote-controlled device in the premises of the base when the LI men spotted him. They opened fire at the militant, killing him as he was trying to escape. But in the meantime, he succeeded in detonating the explosive material. The attacked LI base was being run by Yar Walil Khan, nephew of Mangal Bagh, the head of the outfit. TTP Khyber Agency chapter spokesman Muhammed Afridi claimed responsibility for the attack.

Unidentified assailants shot dead two militants of the Mulla Toofan group of TTP in Maidan area of Tirah valley in Khyber Agency. Sources said that one of the killed militant was a brother of Mulla Toofan, a TTP 'commander' in Orakzai Agency.

In a pre-dawn attack on a paramilitary check post in Paswara area of Mugha Kot in Sheerani District of Balochistan TTP militants killed at least four BFC personnel and injured three others. They also abducted four others. A senior official of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the incident took place in Shirani District. He said that four FC personnel had been killed, three injured and five others were missing, which he believed had been captured by the attackers. The District Administration officials informed the Provincial Government that the incident took place in the early hours of March 23 and the attackers were militants belonging to TTP, he added.

March 19: Five TTP militants were killed in bomb blast, carried out by the LI, in Doa Thoe area of Tirah Valley area in Khyber Agency. Sources said the remote-controlled bomb, placed on the back of a mule, was detonated when the quadruped got close to a TTP bunker in Doa Thoe area. A spokesman for the LI claimed responsibility for the blast and said the TTP had been punished for spreading false reports about the death of LI leader Mangal Bagh. The LI denied the claims and said Bagh was alive and staying at a safe place. LI 'commander' Muhammad Hussain said that Bagh was not killed in a military offensive.

An alleged cadre of Swat chapter of TTP, Fazal Hadi, stated to be a central character in the flogging incident of a woman in Swat in 2009, was arrested in the evening. An official of Charbagh Police Station confirmed that the suspect, Fazal Hadi, was arrested by a raiding team at his ancestral area Asbarn when he returned from Sindh Province, where he had been hiding since 2009.

March 15: Police have been put on high alert after an alleged letter from TTP threatened attacks on co-educational schools and non-governmental organisations in Mansehra District.

A Swiss couple abducted from Loralai District in Balochistan on July 1, 2011 year escaped from the captivity of TTP in North Waziristan Agency of FATA. Olivier David Och and Daniela Widmer were brought to Peshawar by a military helicopter.

Aamir Malik, the son-in-law of former Chairman of Joint Chiefs Of Staff Committee, General Tariq Majeed, who was abducted from outside his Model Town residence in August 2010, reached home after being released by the TTP captors.

March 12: A drone fired missiles at a vehicle in the Birmal area of the SWA in FATA, killing eight militants. Among the dead were Shamsullah and Amir Hamza, senior 'commanders' of Maulvi Nazir faction of TTP.

March 11: A suicide bomber blew himself up at a funeral in the suburban Badbher area of Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing 16 persons and injuring 33 others. A Senior Police official said Advocate Khushdil Khan, Deputy Speaker of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, appeared to be the target of the attack. The blast took place immediately after he had left the place. Darra Adamkhel chapter of TTP claimed responsibility for attack. TTP spokesman Mohammad Afridi said the politician was the target because he had set up a militia to battle against the TTP. "These militias are the front lines for the Pakistan army," the spokesman added.

A security man was killed when an improvised explosive device went off in Wali Kor area of Baizai tehsil. Sources said that security personnel were fetching water from a spring in Wali Kor area when one of them stepped on the explosive device, planted along the track. A spokesman for TTP Mohmand chapter talked to local journalists by telephone from an undisclosed location and claimed responsibility for the blast.

A suicide bomber blew himself up at a funeral in the suburban Badbher area of Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing 16 persons and injuring 33 others. A Senior Police official said Advocate Khushdil Khan, Deputy Speaker of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, appeared to be the target of the attack. The blast took place immediately after he had left the place. Darra Adamkhel chapter of TTP claimed responsibility for attack. TTP spokesman Mohammad Afridi said the politician was the target because he had set up a militia to battle against the TTP. "These militias are the front lines for the Pakistan army," the spokesman added.

March 9: TTP militants ambushed a military convoy, killing seven soldiers at Khar Qamar, 30 kilometres west of Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan Agency. "After the ambush, military helicopters and troops retaliated and there were reports of deaths of nine militants," an intelligence official said.

Leader of the peace militia of the Stori Khel Tribe in Orakzai Agency, Malik Waris Khan, was attacked and killed by militants in Feroz Khail area of Orakzai Agency. The militant, according to the official, managed to escape. However the house he took refuge in was soon located and encircled by security forces however. With no way to escape, and capture imminent, the militant killed himself. "He first exploded a hand grenade and injured himself but when the security forces moved closer, he shot himself," said the official. The spokesperson for the TTP Ehsanullah Ehsan called reporters from an unknown location and claimed responsibility for the attack on the peace lashkar leader.

The TTP threatened attacks against the Government, Police and military officials if three of the slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden's widows were not released from Pakistan's custody, a spokesman for the militant outfit said. "If the family of Osama bin Laden is not released as soon as possible, we will attack the judges, lawyers and security officials involved in their trial," TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told Reuters. "We will carry out suicide bombings against Security Forces and the Government across the country," he added.

The New York Times reported that Osama bin Laden was betrayed by one of his jealous wives and his aides. It seems all was not well in Osama's safe house in Pakistan towards the end, the media report stated saying there was "poisonous mistrust" between Osama's three wives, with one of them being accused of betraying him to US intelligence.

The TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan threatened to attack Shad Begum, recipient of the International Women of Courage award. Shad Begum, who hails from Dir District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, received the International Women of Courage Award on March 8 from First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for her work on women rights and development.

March 8: The TTP 'commanders' are locked in talks, trying to heal a damaging rift that has inflamed tensions over whether to pursue peace efforts with the Government, insiders' sources said. "The one-point agenda is how to adopt a uniform policy," a TTP 'commander' told AFP from an undisclosed location on condition of anonymity.

March 7: The TTP released a fresh footage of the abducted VC of University of Peshawar, Doctor Ajmal Khan. In the video message, Doctor Khan is seen making an appeal for his recovery.

March 6: The ousted deputy chief of the TTP, Maulvi Faqir Muhammad said to Reuters that he still favours peace talks with the Pakistani Government. "Whenever I've held talks with the Government of Pakistan, I've held them with the permission and advice of the central leadership of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan," Maulvi Faqir Muhammad said from an undisclosed location. "When the Taliban in Afghanistan can talk to America, then why can't we talk to the Government of Pakistan?" he added. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain denied any talks had been held, but said the announcement "clearly shows the differences among Taliban ranks".

March 5: Four militants were killed when rival outfits clashed with each other to get control over an important bunker in Dwa Thoe area of Tirah valley in Khyber Agency of FATA. Sources said that Tariq Afridi group of TTP attacked a bunker of LI in Dwa Thoe area. Both the outfit traded heavy fire, which resulted in killing of four militants. LI sources in Bara claimed that they not only repulsed the offensive but also killed three of their opponents. The LI had captured the same post after expelling TTP from the Kukikhel dominated areas of Tirah valley. Both groups have been fighting with each other since October 2011 to gain full control of the area.

Militant leaders in Bajaur Agency (FATA) have reacted strongly to the removal of their chief from the post of deputy Amir of the TTP and threatened to form their own group. Four top militants loyal to Maulvi Faqir Mohammad called local reporters and said they rejected as one-sided TTP`s decision to remove their leader from the deputy leader's post. Maulana Abdul Mutalib, Fazal Khan, Maulvi Abdullah and Liaquat Khan said the decision of TTP's central shura was untimely and would sow discord among the militants. "The decision of the shura has disappointed Bajauri Taliban," one of them said. Their reaction came a day after TTP's central spokesman Ihsanullah Ahsan announced that the shura had removed Faqir Mohammad from the post.

March 4: A local leader of the TTP, Abdul Zareen alias Shah Gee, was arrested from Bara Koh, a suburb area of Islamabad, involved in attacks on Army troops and Frontier Constabulary forces in Bajaur Agency of FATA.

The TTP removed its 'deputy chief' Faqir Muhammad from the key position. TTP, however, permitted him to be part of the terrorist group as an ordinary fighter. In an interview with a foreign media organisation, TTP 'spokesman' Ahsanullah Ahsan said that a consultation meeting of the TTP was held on March 2 under its Chief Hakeemullah Mehsud. The meeting, which was also attended by nine other important TTP 'commanders', took a number of decisions, including the removal of Faqir Muhammad, the spokesman said. Ahsan said that no one had been nominated to replace Faqir, adding that the announcement could be made in the next TTP meeting. Declining to divulge reasons for Faqir's removal, Ahsan said the 'deputy chief' had only been conveying decisions under instructions of Hakeemullah Mehsud. Faqir had been heading TTP in Bajaur Agency of FATA. He had developed differences with the TTP leadership after an abduction of 20 children in Bajaur Agency on the eve of Eidul Fitr in 2011. He was accused by Maulvi Dadullah, another TTP 'commander', of having links with the Government.

Magistrate Ahmed Mansoor Janjua said that Abdul Rasheed, the main accused behind the October 8, 2007 suicide blast on Benazir Bhutto's rally, revealed to him that the attack was planned and orchestrated by the then TTP chief Baitullah Mehsud. During the hearing of Benazir Bhutto murder case in a special Anti-Terrorism Court, Janjua said that he had told Rasheed that his statements could be held against him, but Rasheed replied that he is giving the statements without any pressure. The magistrate told the court that Rasheed confessed that Mehsud not only brought two suicide bombers from Waziristan but also handed him PKR 400,000 to carry out the task. The suicide bombers were taken for a survey of Liaquat Bagh a day before the rally. The map of the area was explained to them and after spending the night with Rafaqat and Hussain - both currently under arrest - the bombers arrived at the rally venue five hours before it began, detailed Janjua. He added that both the bombers were supposed to detonate themselves, but the target was achieved after Bilal blew himself up. So Mehsud took the other bomber Ikramullah back to South Waziristan after he was informed of a successful attack.

March 2: 17 TTP militants, including two key 'commanders' were killed and 13 injured, while five of their hideouts were destroyed after jetfighters pounded their hideouts in Akhun Kot, Bilrass and Chappar areas of Manozai areas of Upper Orakzai Agency. However, local spokesman for TTP Hafeez Saeed denied killings and said not a single fighter of his group was killed in the attacks. He told reporters from an undisclosed location over the telephone that jetfighters bombarded houses already vacated by the Taliban.

March 1: An unnamed faction of TTP claimed responsibility for the killing of a Chinese woman on February 28, 2012, saying it was in revenge for China's killing of Muslims in its troubled north-western region of Xinjiang. "Our comrades carried out the attack in Peshawar which killed the Chinese tourist," Muhammad Afridi, a spokesman for a faction of the TTP from the Darra Adamkhel area of Kohat District.

February 24: At least four Policemen were killed and six others injured when three suicide bombers blew themselves up in a Police Station on Circular Road in Peshawar. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the attack. He said that the attack had been carried out by an affiliated group, the Abdullah Azzam Brigade to avenge the death of one of its leaders, Badar Mansoor, in a United States drone strike on February 9, 2012.

February 21: Afghan officials are holding talks with the TTP, the head of Kandahar Peace Council, Ata Mohammad Ahmadi said in Kandahar province of Afghanistan. Ahmadi said the officials had been meeting for "some time" with mid-level TTP commanders in Quetta, where the leadership of the militant group is reported to be based. "In the last 10 days, our peace council delegation has gone to Quetta three times in twos and threes," he said.

February 20: TTP and its aligned terror outfits have embarked upon a campaign of high-profile abductions which has armed the militant with millions of dollars in ransom being used to galvanise a sophisticated network of jihadi gangs whose reach spans the country, a report of Pakistan's security officials said. Wealthy industrialists, academics, Western aid workers and kin of military officers have been targets in a spree that began three years ago, a report quoting Pakistani security officials saying it has now spread to every major Pakistani city, reaching the wealthiest neighbourhood.

The TTP say that the kidnappings earn valuable funds and leverage to free imprisoned fighters. Pakistani and foreign militant commanders, in Waziristan, give the orders, but it is a combination of hired criminals and "Punjabi Taliban" who snatch hostages. Ransom demands range between USD 500,000 and USD 2.2 million. The kidnappings have reached figures of 467 in 2011, according to the Interior Ministry figures. "Waziristan is very safe for the Taliban the place is crawling with them. Even the non-Taliban carries weapons so it's hard to know who is who," said a freed hostage.

February 18: Police arrested 'commander' Bakht Ravan, an uncle of a high ranking TTP 'commander' Ibn-e-Amin, in the Chaparyal area of Swat District.

February 16: Eight militants and a security man were killed and four personnel, among them a captain, suffered injuries during a raid on a hotel at Rustam Bazaar in Wana, the headquarters of South Waziristan Agency. A group of TTP militants, comprised of both the Punjabi and Mehsud militants, resisted the SFs in the hotel, triggering a gunbattle that continued for hours. A political administration official on condition of anonymity said that militants were reportedly planning an act of sabotage on the Gomal Zam Dam road. SFs recovered a cache of arms, explosives and suicide jackets from the hotel.

SFs arrested a TTP Swat chapter militant, identified as Hashmat Ullah, during an operation in the limits of Sabzi Mandi Police Station in Islamabad. The sources said a team of security personnel in response to an intelligence tip off regarding a suspect who was hiding in the area of Shams Colony, located in the limits of Sabzi Mandi Police Station conducted the operation which led to his arrest from a house. He was the active member of TTP Swat chapter. Hashmat Ullah was allegedly involved in several attacks at the SFs in Swat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and also fought against the SFs during operation in Swat.

February 11: The dead body of an abdcuted Khasadar Force official, Toor Gul Khan, was found in Khwezai area of Mohmand Agency in FATA. Sources said that the slain khasadar, Toor Gul Khan, a resident of Atta Khwezai, was abdcuted by unidentified militants along with three other people a couple of days ago. The other kidnapped persons were identified as Khalid, Ajmer and Mohammad. TTP Mohmand Agency chapter spokesman Mukarram Khurasani claimed responsibility for the killing of the abdcuted official, saying other people in their custody are relatives of khasadars.

Suspected TTP militants attacked an oil and gas plant in Karak District. The militants used small and heavy weapons in the attack in Gurgure area of Karak District. The attack caused no damage to the vital installation of the OGDC. The militants were believed to have come from Thall area of Hangu District, the police sources said, adding that the militants made several attempts in the past to target the vital installations and abduct engineers and other personnel working on several occasions.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan condemned attacks on Security Forces in North Waziristan Agency of FATA and said they would abide by the peace agreement with the Government. A statement issued by the five-member Shura-e-Muraqba in Miranshah warned that some elements were trying to destabilize North Waziristan Agency by firing rockets and exploding remote-controlled bombs. "Everybody knows that through a secret and well-organised conspiracy, the peaceful law and order situation is being aggravated in North Waziristan," says a one-page statement in Urdu issued by the Shura on its letter pad. Therefore, Mujahideen and Ansar (locals and outsiders) are directed to respect the peace agreement with the Government, it said.

The TTP called on fighters to honour an agreement to not to attack the Pakistani military in the most important sanctuary for the Taliban and al Qaeda along the Afghan border. The operational chief of the Haqqani Network, Sirajuddin Haqqani, is part of the five-member leadership council that distributed a pamphlet ordering militants not to stage rocket or bomb attacks in North Waziristan. "In North Waziristan, we are all in agreement with the Pakistani Government, so we are all bound to honour this agreement and nobody is allowed to violate it," the pamphlet said, adding, anyone who violates the agreement "will [be] dealt with as a culprit".

A senior TTP commander claimed of keeping two western aid workers abducted from Multan District of Punjab on January 19, 2012, hostage near the Afghan border. "The two NGO workers who were abducted in Multan nearly a month ago are in our custody near the border. We haven't made any demands yet," a senior TTP commander said, adding, "They are in good health."

February 7: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government launched a crackdown on unregistered seminaries in Peshawar and arrested 100 madrassa students belonging to TTP and Afghan Taliban in one such raid on Jamia Zuberia in Yakatut area, Police said. The Police resorted to teargas shelling after local residents protested the raid and the arrests, witnesses said, adding that the arrested Taliban included Pakistanis and Afghan nationals.

February 5: One security official was killed while 12 others were injured when militants ambushed SFs in the Shahedano Dhand area of Kurram Agency in FATA. The militants detonated a bomb near a military vehicle and then opened fire at the convoy. The TTP claimed responsibility for the attack.

February 4: The SFs arrested nine suspects, including four cadres of the TTP, including the 'commander', Mullah Hakeem, during a raid carried out in Toori Bangash Colony of Orangi Town in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh. The 'commander' was arrested on a tip-off from TTP cadres. Hakeem was involved in over 100 bomb attacks on schools in Swat of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Weapons and jihadi literature were recovered from the suspects. The identities of the TTP suspects were not revealed.

February 3: Eighteen militants and seven soldiers were killed and three others injured during a clash that broke out when a group of 40 TTP militants attacked on SFs checkpost in Shidano Dand area of Kurram Agency in FATA. TTP 'spokesman' Ehsanullah Ehsan in a telephone call from an unidentified place claimed responsibility for the raid, saying 12 Frontier Corps soldiers were killed and four others captured by terrorists. "We carried out this attack to avenge the killing of our commander Taj Gul in Khyber Agency," Ehsan said, without giving details when he was killed and his significance to the outfit. "We have killed 12 FC soldiers and captured four others alive," he said, adding that terrorists also seized a large cache of weapons. Independent confirmation of death tolls is very difficult in the tribal area, a Taliban and al Qaeda stronghold barred to journalists and aid workers.

February 1: Army fighter jets pounded militant hideouts in the Mamozai area of Orakzai Agency in FATA before dawn, killing at least 20 TTP militants. "At least 20 Taliban militants were killed in the bombing," a military official in Peshawar said. Local intelligence officials confirmed the air strikes. The jets targeted at least four hideouts. The hideouts belonged to TTP 'commanders' Mulla Toofan and Maulvi Moinuddin, a security official said. Commander Maulvi Moinuddin and six foreigners were among the dead, says another report.

The beheaded body of a missing bread baker, identified as Waris Khan, was found in Khowgakhel area of Khyber Agency. Waris Khan was abdcuted by unidentified militants on January 31 evening when he was returning home from a nearby mosque after offering Maghrib prayers. A chit found with his body said that he was executed on charges of spying against TTP.

January 29: A chief of the Dera Ismail Khan chapter of Pakistan TTP, Imran Gandapur, of was shot dead during an operation with Police on Grid Station Road in Dera Ismail Khan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Imran Gandapur a former Policeman, involved in the killing of Mian Iftikhar Hussain's son, Mian Arshad Iftikhar. DIG Syed Imtiaz Shah told media that Gandapur had claimed responsibility for several terror attacks throughout the country and also confessed to killing the provincial minister's son. Gandapur was suspended from his Police due to his involvement in sectarian activities.

January 25: Twenty two militants and six soldiers were killed during a clash when SFs captured a TTP stronghold in the Jogi area of Central tehsil of Kurram Agency in FATA.

Militants attacked a SFs' checkpost with rockets, small and heavy weapons in Haleemzai tehsil of Mohmand Agency. However, no casualty was reported. The checkpost manned by Levies personnel came under attack at 2:00am. Soon after the attack, SFs cordoned off the area and began search for attackers. They also targeted militant hideouts. TTP claimed responsibility for the attack.

January 21: Four Levies Force personnel received injuries when their vehicle was targeted with a remote controlled bomb near Mian Mandi Bazaar in Haleemzai tehsil of Mohmand Agency. The injured personnel were identified as Subedar Amjad Khan, sepoy Rahat, sepoy Inayat and sepoy Irshad. The spokesperson for TTP Mohmand Agency chapter chief, Mukarram Khurassin, talked to local journalists by telephone and claimed responsibility for the attack.

TTP released a video showing them killing 15 FC personnel who were abducted in a raid on December 23 in FATA. 15 soldiers stood blindfolded, handcuffed to each other on a barren hilltop as one of their bearded TTP captors held an AK-47 rifle and spoke with fury about revenge. TTP militants on January 5 killed 15 FC personnel in Mir Ali area of North Waziristan Agency in FATA. 15 personnel guarding the boundary between the FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been taken hostage on December 23, 2011 in a pre-dawn attack by TTP militants on their post in Mullazai area of Tank District (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa). Now they have released a video as a warning to the Army. "Twelve of our comrades were besieged and mercilessly martyred in the Khyber Agency (area)," said the militant. "Our pious women were also targeted. To avenge those comrades, we will kill these men. We warn the government of Pakistan that if the killing of our friends is not halted, this will be the fate of you all."

January 20: Four militants, two each from both sides, were killed when cadres of LI clashed with the TTP militants in Tirah valley of Khyber Agency in FATA.

January 19: Peace talks between Government and al Qaeda-linked TTP militants have made little progress, a Senior Security Official told Reuters. The official said the group, seen as the biggest security threat to the strategic US ally, had flatly rejected a demand that it works through tribal elders to reach a deal whereby fighters approach authorities and lay down their arms. "They felt it would be humiliating," the official said.

January 18: TTP claimed responsibility for the killing of a senior tribal reporter, Mukarram Khan Atif, correspondent for Washington-based Pashto language Deewa Radio and a reporter for a private TV channel, in Shabqadar area of Charsadda District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on January 17. TTP's spokesmen Ehsanullah Ehsan and Mukarram Khurasani told reporters that the group killed Mukarram Khan Atif because he 'broadcast anti-Taliban' reports and they said they will kill other American radio journalists. A tribal journalist from North Waziristan Agency (FATA), Rasool Dawar, says that Ehsanullah Ehsan phoned him to 'accept responsibility' for killing Mukarram Khan.

January 16: Inspector General of Frontier Corps Major General Nadir Zeb rejected having any type of contact with TTP and said that SFs were determined to restore peace in the tribal areas. Addressing the passing-out parade of the 16th batch of 155 new FC recruits at Landi Kotal Army camp, he said that SFs would require more time to uproot the menace of terrorism in FATA. He said that they would utilise their full energies to achieve the desired goals. "It will take time to restore peace in tribal areas, like it took some time in Malakand and Dir", he said. He added that restoration of peace was the main objective of SFs.

January 15: The leader of TTP, Hakimullah Mehsud, was believed to have been killed by a US drone strike on January 12, Pakistan intelligence officials said. The officials said they intercepted wireless radio chatter between TTP cadres detailing how Hakimullah Mehsud was killed while travelling in a convoy to a meeting in the North Waziristan Agency region near the Afghan border. "Six to seven TTP cadres were talking to each other through wireless radio in the conversations we heard, talking about Hakimullah Mehsud being hit by a drone when he was heading to a meeting at a spot near Miramshah," said one of the intelligence officials. A senior military official said there was no official confirmation that Hakimullah Mehsud had been killed.

The TTP said Hakimullah was still alive, but their denial was far less assertive than one issued in 2010 after media reports said he had been killed in a drone strike. "There is no truth in reports about his death. However, he is a human being and can die any time. He is a holy warrior and we will wish him martyrdom," TTP 'spokesman' Ehsanullah Ehsan said. "We will continue jihad if Hakimullah is alive or dead. There are so many lions in this jungle and one lion will replace another one to continue this noble mission."

January 14: Four suicide bombers attacked the DPO's office in Dera Ismail Khan District, killing four people. "Three suicide bombers detonated themselves and one was shot dead by the army," Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Akbar Hoti said. "We have recovered bodies of four militants, they were all wearing suicide vests," he added. One Police official and three civilians were also killed in the operation. Eight persons, including one Policeman were wounded. The TTP claimed responsibility for the attack.

Officials of the Anti-Extremism Cell claimed to have foiled a terror plot to attack the main Chehlum procession, and arrested a TTP 'commander', Mohammad Daud, who was involved in a number of terrorist cases in Ittehad Town in Karachi. The militant outfit had planned to target the Chehlum procession of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS), which is being held in Karachi. The Additional Inspector General of the CID, Sindh, Ghulam Shabbir Sheikh, SSP Mohammad Aslam Khan of the AEC said he had received a tip-off about the presence of a wanted TTP terrorist in the Moachko area. When Law Enforcement Agencies raided the hideout in Ittehad Town, militants opened fire at them. The Police retaliated, and, after an encounter, arrested Mohammad Daud, alias Waleed, and shifted him to the interrogation unit.

The Police also recovered 50 kilograms of explosives, four suicide jackets, one light machinegun, a rocket launcher, two rockets, 10 hand grenades, two Kalashnikovs, two TT pistols, 1,000 bullets, a 20-foot detonating cord, and five detonators. The suspect revealed that he was trained in Waziristan to handle arms, including rocket launchers, and make suicide jackets. Daud was said to be involved in an attack on Security Forces in Waziristan, and had been sent to Karachi to organise a group to perform terrorist attacks on Government buildings and shrines. He disclosed that his group was responsible for the suicide attack on Abdullah Shah Ghazi Shrine in 2010 and the Sea View Blast of 2011. He said the plan to target the shrine had been made in Waziristan and that he had been given PKR 20,000 by a TTP commander there to complete the job.

CID team raided a place along the National Highway near Abbot Factory and arrested two alleged TTP militants namely Azeem Ahmad Sheikh alias Anees and Zubair Alam alias Munna. The raid was conducted on a tip-off and CID also claimed to have recovered five rockets, two triple-2 rifles and several rounds from their possession. SSP Mashwani said that the accused, Sheikh, hailed from Hyderabad District of Sindh. He joined al Qaeda on the directives of Tahir alias Saeen and Talat alias Hyderabadwala in 2009 and was an expert in making a remote controlled bomb.

January 13: The local TTP set ablaze over a dozen computers, television sets, cellular phones and several cassettes in the Wana bazaar of South Waziristan Agency in FATA. The TTP led by Maulvi Nazeer said they had already banned using television and computers for watching movies and music and carrying cellular phones with cameras. They said some people were still violating the ban. The TTP militants had seized over a dozen TV sets and computers and mobile phones and several cassettes, reportedly of music, from local people and these were burnt in the main bazaar of Wana.

January 11: Rafiq alias Akhlaq, head of a militant group Jundul Khyber, was killed by the cadres of AI in Bagh locality of the Tirah Valley in Khyber Agency. The sources said that Akhlaq had abducted an associate of the rival Tariq Afridi group, a commander of TTP, and imprisoned him at his Hujra in Narkhaw area of Maidan being controlled by AI. The TTP asked the AI that one of its fighters had been detained by Akhlaq and sought their help to get the captive released. The sources added that members of the AI raided the Hujra of Akhlaq two days back and got the 'prisoner' released, which infuriated Akhlaq. The sources said that Akhlaq hurled a hand-grenade and opened fire on the AI men that led to an exchange of fire. In the ensuing firefight, Akhlaq was killed. Three of his associates were also captured by the AI cadres. Akhlaq was appointed as 'chief' of Jundul Khyber in May 2010 after 'Commander' Adnan Afridi parted ways with the TTP. Adnan had developed differences with the TTP leadership over the killing of his associates by Tariq Afridi. On October 29, 2010, the bullet-riddled body of Adnan was found in Rawalpindi.

A detained TTP Karachi chief, who was arrested by the CID on January 5, 2012, confessed to his involvement in the blast at the house of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister that had claimed the life of his son. Police claimed to have arrested four militants, including TTP Karachi chief Abdul Qayyum Mehsud, Muhammad Sharif, Habib Mehsud and Usman. SSP CID Fayyaz Khan said the arrested TTP militants were trained in Waziristan and were involved in several high profile cases.

January 9: The dead bodies of 10 FCB paramilitary troops were recovered from in Dabori town of Orakzai Agency in FATA. One security official said 23 soldiers were attacked late in the night on December 21 by nearly 100 heavily armed militants. "They killed 13 soldiers and took away 10 others. The bodies (of the 10) were found in Dabori today," said another source on condition of anonymity. The TTP claimed responsibility for the killings. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan in a phone call to Reuters said that his men were behind the December 21, 2011 attack. "We take responsibility for killing the 10 soldiers whose bodies have been recovered from Orakzai." "This is an exchange of bodies with them, as they killed 10 of our people and we have responded with killing 10 of their men," he added.

January 7: The CID claimed to have killed an alleged TTP Balochistan Chapter 'chief' Syed Yasin Shah alias Asghar Baloch and arrested his accomplice, Syed Yar Shan, in a brief encounter near Rasheed Minhas Road at Sharah-e-Faisal Police limits of Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh. The CID team also recovered weapons and a car from the place. He said that the slain leader was involved in several heinous crimes, including target killings, mobile franchises attacks, grenade attacks etc.

January 6: Security agencies want the TTP to abandon their strongholds of Orakzai and Khyber Agencies of FATA for a possible truce but are not keen to wrench back the control of other lawless tribal regions from the TTP. Officials and TTP affiliates told The Express Tribune on January 6 that the militants were being pushed to vacate Orakzai Agency because of its close proximity to the garrison city of Kohat. "We don't want to run unnecessary risk. If we tolerate the Taliban presence, it will be a strategic mistake. We will be on their target, if things go wrong again in the future," said an official privy to the ongoing peace talks between the militants and security agencies. Same is true for Khyber Agency, which borders Peshawar, the capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that has borne the brunt of the war on terror in the past three years, the official said. "We cannot continue to allow them to maintain a presence near our cities from where they can plan and mount attacks," the official added. Both sides, however, said that the military was not keen on regaining complete control of other tribal regions, which are controlled by the TTP or its splinters including South Waziristan, Bajaur and Mohmand - the regions that share borders with Afghanistan.

January 5: TTP militants killed 15 Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel in Mir Ali area of North Waziristan Agency in FATA to avenge, in the words of a TTP spokesman, the death of one of their 'commanders' in another tribal area at the hands of SFs. The bullet-ridden bodies thrown on a hill in Mir Ali sub-district were spotted by tribesmen in the morning. According to an unnamed security official, "We had been trying to get them freed and we maintained contacts with their captors. Until last night the indications were positive. God knows what happened afterwards." TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told local media in Miranshah, "We have killed these personnel". He said the killings were in retaliation for the death of Qari Kamran, an important 'commander' of TTP, who was killed along with 12 others on January 1 by SFs at Alamgir Killay in the Kermina area near Landikotal in Khyber Agency. "This is revenge for the killing of our comrades in Khyber by Pakistani forces. We will soon take revenge for other operations too," Ehsan added.

The 15 personnel guarding the boundary between the FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been taken hostage on December 23, 2011 in a pre-dawn attack by TTP militants on their post in Mullazai area of Tank District (KP).

TTP released 17 children, who mistakenly crossed the border into Afghanistan from Bajaur Agency, after three months of captivity. Bajaur administration official Islam Zeb said, "Today TTP has released 17 of them. They have been freed unconditionally. Some 8-10 are yet in their custody." Zeb said the boys had been abducted by a militant group allied with TTP 'commander' Maulvi Faqir Muhammad, who led local insurgents but is believed to have fled to Afghanistan in 2010. More than 30 children were abducted from Bajaur Agency during Eid holidays on September 1, 2011.

TTP Karachi Chapter 'commander' Abdul Qayum and his three accomplices were arrested in Karachi along with a suicide jacket, a rocket, a BM missile, two Kalashnikovs and bullets of different types. The IG CID said that the accused were involved in the killing of 20 people including a Police Officer. The IG also said that the accused had accepted their involvement in the bombings of December 9 and 10, 2011 and also informed the Police about the presence of two more suicide bombers in Karachi.

Hundreds of militants who surrendered in FATA areas are facing threats from active TTP militants who are pressuring them to rejoin or face reprisals, officials and former militants said. "At least 3,000 militants have laid down arms and expressed repentance over their association with Taliban in Bajaur Agency," Haji Shafqat Gul, a member of the Bajaur peace committee, told Central Asia Online. "A majority of them are now receiving warnings from the Taliban leaders to join their ranks again." Militants are trying to recruit former members because the militancy has run out of steam, Gul, who has participated in surrender ceremonies over the past three years, said. In other agencies, like Khyber, Orakzai, North and South Waziristan, individual figures are not available, but an unnamed spokesman of ISPR said a total of 9,000 former insurgents have surrendered.

January 4: Five TTP militants were killed and 13 others arrested in a clash with the Frontier FC troops in Murgha Kibzai area of Zhob District of Balochistan. A FC spokesman said SF received information about the presence of TTP militants in Murgha Kibzai area and dispatched troops there. He added that when they reached the area, militants opened fire from a compound, injuring two FC personnel. Troops then returned fire and killed five militants. Later, during a search operation, they recovered a rocket launcher and several machine guns.

'Secret talks' between Pakistan's Security Agencies and the TTP who have reportedly splintered down into many different groups entered a decisive phase. Now both sides are hoping their negotiations will culminate in a 'lasting' agreement which will restore peace in the country's lawless tribal lands. "We have drawn the broader outlines for a possible accord. And what we're now working on are minor details," said an Intelligence Official, who claimed the results of the 'year-long' peace process would be unveiled shortly. "Unlike the past, we are trying to have something workable and implementable this time around," said the official referring to the failure of all three agreements the security institutions had with the TTP.

"These are crucial times…we have to be extremely careful. A slight miscalculation can harm us in a big way," the official, requesting anonymity, added in reference to changes in the regional war given the eventual withdrawal of the US-led international forces by 2014. However, publicly, the military denies having any talks with the militants. Senior TTP associates also confirmed that these covert talks with the military establishment were reaching a climax and said there were several indications of things moving ahead. According to sources, earlier, the TTP leader Maulvi Waliur Rehman Mehsud had ordered to halt the training of suicide bombers at several camps in South and North Waziristan. "Now look how effective this thing alone is … it has never happened in four years that the TTP stops training its suicide bombers," said Raqeebullah Mehsud, a young militant commander from the Ludha area of South Waziristan.

Raqeebullah said TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud was not aware of these talks and he, along with a core group following his hard-line positions on talks with the Government was aware of these negotiations. "He [Hakimullah] is out. At least people here think so," Raqeebullah commented. Though it could not be confirmed, some officials said the TTP chief might have crossed into Afghanistan after sudden defections of his loyalists to pro-Pakistan militant groups who were against launching attacks in the country's mainland.

January 4: A former 'commander' of a local peace committee, Umar Gul, was killed allegedly by TTP militants in Warki village of Tank District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the night. The beheaded body of Umar Gul was found in a nearby canal after he was taken away from his house by three militants. "Three persons took him last night and then left a chit beside his body, warning people not to participate in his funeral," Police quoted a brother of the deceased as saying. TTP have killed at least seven peace committee heads in the past two months.

January 3: Militants blew up a Government primary school for boys in Gurbaz Gagezai area of Safi tehsil in Mohmand Agency. An unnamed spokesman for TTP Mohmand chapter claimed responsibility for the attack. In a subsequent operation, the political administration arrested six tribesmen, including Malik Attaullah and his two sons, on suspicion of their involvement in the crime.

Al Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban and Pakistani militants have held a series of meetings aimed at containing what could soon be open warfare between the two most powerful TTP leaders. Hakimullah Mehsud, the head of the TTP and his deputy, Wali-ur-Rehman, were at each other's throats, the sources said. "You will soon hear that one of them has eliminated the other, though hectic efforts are going on by other commanders and common friends to resolve differences between the two," one TTP commander under the condition of anonymity said. Any division within the TTP could hinder the Afghan Taliban and al Qaeda's struggle in Afghanistan against the United States and its allies, making it more difficult to recruit young fighters and disrupting the alleged safe havens in Pakistan.

Taliban sources said Wali-ur-Rehman had ordered his fighters to eliminate Hakimullah Mehsud because of his increasing closeness to al Qaeda and its Arab contingent. Wali-ur-Rehman also alleged that the TTP chief received money from India to kill a former Pakistan spy agency official acting as a mediator between the TTP, Afghan militants and the Pakistani Government.

January 2: All Jihadi groups, in consultation with Islamic Emirate Afghanistan (shadow Taliban Government in Afghanistan), have decided to set up a committee to set aside differences in their ranks and step up support for war against western forces in Afghanistan. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Taliban Shura held at an unspecified place on January 2. A statement issued in the form of a pamphlet to the media in Waziristan after the meeting said that "All Mujahideen -local and foreigners -are informed that all jihadi forces, in consultation with Islamic Emirate Afghanistan, have unanimously decided to form a five-member commission. It will be known as Shura-i-Murakbah." The committee comprises Maulvi Azmatullah, Maulvi Noor Saeed, Maulvi Saeedullah, Maulvi Sadar Hayat and Hafeez Amir Hamza. According to sources, Azmatullah (Taliban commander in Barwan) represents the Waliur Rehman group, Noor Saeed (Taliban commander in Barwan) the Hakeemullah Mehsud group, Saeedullah (from Afghanistan) the Haqqani group, Sadar Hayat (from North Waziristan) the Maulvi Gul Bahadar group and Amir Hamza (from Ahmedzai Wazir tribe) the Mulla Nazir group in Wana subdivision of South Waziristan.

Spokesman for the TTP Ehsanullah Ehsan confirmed that the meeting had been held and the statement dated December 31 was issued after approval by Taliban's supreme leader Mullah Omar. The sources said the committee had been formed to resolve differences among various militant factions regroup them and investigate killings on spying charges and excesses, if any, committed by the Taliban against local people. "All Mujahideen, local and foreigners, are informed that they should desist from killing and kidnapping for ransom innocent people and cooperate with this committee in curbing crimes. If any Mujahid is found involved in unjustified killings, crimes and other illegal activities he will be answerable to Shura-i-Murakbah and will be punished in accordance with the Shariah law," the statement says.

The sources said the high command of TTP and Afghan Taliban had been trying for two months to reach an agreement on uniting different factions. The first meeting in this regard was held on November 27 in Azam Warsak near Wana in South Waziristan Agency. It was attended by Waliur Rehman Mehsud, Hakeemullah Mehsud, Mulla Nazir, Abu Yehya Al Libi and Abdur Rehman al Saudi of al Qaeda and Sirajuddin Haqqani of the Haqqani network. The second meeting was held on December 11 in Dattakhel area of North Waziristan Agency. It was attended by Sabiullah Mujahid, Maulvi Sangeen and Maulvi Ashfaq from Afghanistan, Yehya al Libi and Abdur Rehman al Saudi of al Qaeda, Hafiz Gul Bahadar and Maulvi Sadiq Noor from North Waziristan and Hakeemullah Mehsud, Waliur Rehman and Mulla Nazir from South Waziristan.

Talking to Dawn on phone from an unspecified place, TTP spokesman Ehsanullah said the Mujahideen groups had reposed their confidence in the leadership of Mullah Muhammad Omar and recognised him as the leader of Afghanistan. He said the TTP would send its fighters to Afghanistan after March for waging jihad against "US-led infidel forces".

January 1: Fifteen militants were killed and five hideouts were destroyed when fighter jets bombed militant hideouts in Torsmat, Jabba Kellay, Akhunkot and Sama Bazaar in Upper tehsil of Orakzai Agency in FATA. The dead included five terrorists of 'Commander' Ziaur Rehman group of TTP.

At least 12 militants were killed and three hostages were rescued from their custody after an encounter with SFs in the Alamgir Killay of the Karmina area in Landikotal tehsil of Khyber Agency. Khasadar Force sources said that a FC soldier was also killed and another injured during the encounter. According to official sources, TTP Tariq Afridi group 'commander' Qari Kamran was among the dead. Security sources said that Kamran was involved in various attacks on SFs and installations in Nowshera, Risalpur and Shabqadar. SFs took into custody three women and five children from a house where militants had taken refuge and freed three people held by them.

2011

December 31: CID of the Sindh Police claimed to have arrested five Punjab Chapter TTP militants (also known as Punjabi Taliban) from the National Highway near a thermal factory in Shah Latif Town in Karachi. The suspects were identified as Alauddin alias Shakirullah, Farhan Khan alias Ali, Amir Shahzad alias Mufti Asadullah, Irfan alias Mavia and Shah Jahan alias Adnan Munna. Alauddin is the chief of the Punjabi Taliban group in Sindh. The group is led by Ustad Aslam. The Police also seized two suicide jackets, 145 kilogrammes of explosives, six detonators, 23 rockets grenades, three Kalashnikovs, a 9mm pistol, 10 kilogrammes of fertiliser and detonating wires from them.

December 30: A TTP militant was killed and eight others were injured in an attack by helicopter gunships on their hideout in Makeen area of SWA. Sources said that two helicopter gunships shelled the hideout belonging to the TTP. Three Arab nationals were among the injured but their names and nationalities could not be ascertained.

A militant 'commander', Qasim, was arrested in an injured condition from the Government hospital in Wana of SWA. Troops also detained his two brothers and two TTP militants. Commander Qasim was affiliated with the Maulvi Nazir group of TTP and was injured in clashes with NATO forces in Afghanistan, sources added.

December 28: The AEC of the CID foiled a possible terror bid in the Federal Capital by arresting six alleged TTP militants. A Senior Police Official on condition of anonymity said that six TTP militants were arrested during separate raids in different parts of Islamabad's rural area Shahzad Town late on the night of December 26, 2011, and was disclosed on December 28 because of the security reasons. The official said that the suspects were hiding in a rented house in the area for the last couple of months. Sources reveal that the alleged militants were planning to carry out terror act on Islamabad Highway.

December 25: 12 militants were killed and seven others injured when jet fighters pounded militant hideouts in Toor Semat, Jandri and Jabba Killi localities in Muhammadzai, a TTP stronghold, of Orakzai Agency.

A bullet-riddled body of a man, identified as Mohammad Nasim, was found in the Sarah Kadi area of the Loralai District. A letter found was found on the dead body of Nasim. The TTP claimed responsibility for the killing, saying he was involved in spying and warned that anybody found spying on the TTP would meet the same fate.

December 23: Militants killed one FC Security Official and reportedly abducted 19 others in an attack on SFs in the Mullazai Fort north of the Tank District. The exact number of abducted militants could not be determined. Sources also said that the initial number of FC personnel missing after the attack was 23 but seven of them had returned back safely. The TTP claimed responsibility for the attack.

December 21: Seven SF personnel were injured when a checkpost was hit by a rocket in Kotkai area in SWA. Security officials said SFs were conducting a search operation after receiving information that some TTP militants had entered the tribal agency from across the border.  A canister of petrol was probably fitted to the rocket that triggered fire after it hit the target.     

December 19: Eight cadres of Punjab chapter of TTP were arrested in Kalatoi area of Birmal tehsil in Wana sub-division of South Waziristan Agency during a search operation.   

CID claimed to have arrested six suspects and recovered weapons from their possession from different places including Korangi Industrial Area, Sohrab Goth and Saddar area of Karachi. Officials said that the accused were associated with the TTP and used to provide logistic support to TTP militants who arrived in the city from tribal areas. The detained suspects include Ejaz, Fateh Khan, Akbar Khan, Tabish, Imam Buksh and Adnan Khan. A Kalashnikov, four TT pistols and narcotics were also recovered from their possession. According to details, one of them, Ejaz is said to be an activist of a political party.

December 18: A militant was killed and four tribal people were injured in different incidents. TTP militants killed a cadre of LI in Dwa Thoe area of Tirah valley in Khyber Agency.

December 14: In a series of startling revelations, Sabiha Khatton, a widow of a killed TTP Punjab Chapter cadre, Qari Shahid Khan, confessed that her husband was involved in the planning of the May 22, 2011 PNS Mehran attack and that she assisted Khan in the September 19, 2011 assassination attempt on CID Senior SSP Chaudhry Aslam and the November 16, 2011 Sea view blast in Karachi. Qari Shahid Khan was one of the three alleged TTP militants who were killed in an encounter in a bid to recover an abducted industrialist, Riaz Chinoy, from Korangi town in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh. 

Sabiha claimed that her family had links with militant outfit HuM, while her husband was a member of the TTP and was involved in the planning and execution of major attacks from 2009-2011, including the March 3, 2009 Sri Lankan team attack. Sabiha claimed to be involved in monitoring SSP Aslam’s house prior to the attack. She confessed that the perpetrators of the Mehran attack and Sea view blast had stayed at her house too.

The TTP ruled out any negotiations with the Government and claimed to have control over most areas of South Waziristan Agency of FATA.  In an interview with a three-member delegation of senior tribal journalists at a command and control centre of militants in South Waziristan Agency, the key ‘operational commander’ and ‘chief’ of Laddah sub-division chapter of TTP, Shamim Mehsud, rejected any contacts with the Government under the present circumstances. He said the TTP would not hold talks with the Government till the enforcement of sharia (Islamic rule of Law), pulling out of SFs from tribal areas, payment of compensation to tribals for destruction of their homes and properties and release of the TTP from Pakistani prisons. 

The journalists were allowed to visit various sections of the centre situated at a distance of about three kilometres from a camp of SFs. They spent a night there and met well-equipped TTP militants whose number remained 30 during the day and 45 at night. They were stunned to see heavy and light weapons, including 75RR guns, anti-aircraft guns, mortars, missiles, rockets, grenades and Kalashnikov, etc., in the godown of the centre. The journalists witnessed a training session of 10 would-be Fidayeen whose ages ranged between 16 and 30 years. 

‘Commander’ Shamim Mehsud refuted the claim of security forces that the writ of the government had been enforced in the tribal area. “If there is control of security forces, how will we freely run our training, control and command centres.” He said: “American forces are facing defeat in Afghanistan and here in tribal areas the Pakistani troops have stuck. After being deceived by America the security personnel have entered the Mehsud areas, but now they are facing humiliation here.”

December 13: Police rescued 53 madrassa students, some as young as seven, who had been chained in the basement of a Karachi seminary, unearthing gruesome tales of dungeon torture and visits by TTP instructors, who some claimed were starting to prepare them to join the terror group's jihad on the Afghan front. Police said they were probing the institution's possible links to terrorist outfits.

The CID Sindh claimed to have arrested two cadres of Punjab Chapter of TTP and recovered 10 kilograms of explosives, three Kalashnikovs, two pistols, including a 9mm one, and hundreds of bullets from the Superhighway. 

December 12: At least four militants were killed when rival militant outfits clashed in Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency in FATA. The dead belonged to the LI. The clash resulted from LI support for a tribal anti-TTP peace committee in the Tirah Valley, Bara Assistant Political Agent Rehan Khattak said. A TTP spokesman claimed responsibility for killing the LI activists and warned that more such attacks would follow. The LI assisted the Kukikhel peace lashkar in dislodging the TTP from one of its strongholds in the Tirah Valley a week ago.

TTP claimed the responsibility for December 9, 2011 bomb attack on Rangers vehicle in Karachi and said the TTP will continue to target the Security Force personnel, reported Dawn. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said they had taken revenge for the death of three militants who blew themselves up to avoid arrest at Sea view in Karachi on November 16, 2011.

December 11: Two militants, including a TTP ‘commander’, Asmatullah, were arrested by Security Forces during a raid at a suspicious house in Hangu city. A cache of ammunition was also recovered during the raid.

TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan denied that the outfit is in peace talks with the Government. Ehsanullah Ehsan denied the claims, saying there would be no negotiations until the Government imposed Islamic law or Shariah in the country. He had previously denied reports of peace talks by unnamed commanders and intelligence officials.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Barrister Masood Kausar “denied peace talks with any militant group” as the foreign media reported, saying “it has been consistent policy of the Government that dialogue can be commenced with such elements who have surrendered to the writ of the government and are not involved in any criminal activity”.

Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik categorically stated that the Government was not holding talks with TTP, as talks could not take place until terrorists surrender themselves before the authorities. Denying the media reports about negotiations between the Government and the TTP, he said, “I talked to stake holders in Bajaur and they confirm that there are no talks with them.”  “If TTP surrenders, definitely the government would consider talks, he added.

December 10: The TTP confirmed that they are in peace talks with the Government. Maulvi Faqir Muhammad, ‘deputy chief’ of TTP, said the TTP were negotiating with the help of local tribal elders in the Bajaur Agency (FATA). “Our talks are going in the right direction,” he told Reuters from an undisclosed location. He is also looking to advance the dialogue beyond Bajaur Agency. “If negotiations succeed and we are able to sign a peace agreement in Bajaur, then the Government and the TTP of other areas such as Swat, Mohmand, Orakzai and South Waziristan Agency will sign an agreement. Bajaur Agency will be a role model for other areas,” Faqir Mohammad added.

The White House spokesperson Caitlin Hayden said that the White House had seen reports of the TTP entering into negotiations with Pakistan, however, she added, they “do not appear definitive at this point.” Hayden said that the White House was not in a position to comment on the details of any such talks.

December 8: The Khyber Agency coordinator of the HRPC, Zarteef Khan Afridi, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Jamrud town of Khyber Agency in FATA. Sources said two assailants riding a motorcycle opened fire on Zarteef Khan Afridi while he was on his way to a Government school where he worked as headmaster. Abdullah Ezaam Brigade took responsibility for the murder. Family sources said the deceased had been receiving threats because he was opposed to TTP activities in tribal areas and supported women’s rights. Zarteef Khan took a courageous step during the general election of 1997 when he allowed womenfolk of his family to cast their vote.

Nine suspected militants affiliated with TTP were arrested during separate raids in different parts of the Islamabad’s rural area.

December 6: The Kukikhel tribal lashkar peace committee expelled the TTP militants from their area of the Tirah Valley, bordering Afghanistan. The TTP’s Tariq Afridi group had seized the homes and agricultural lands of the Kukikhel tribe in remote Tirah nine months ago. The volunteers not only expelled the Taliban but took control of all their bases and bunkers, Zabita Khan, a Kukikhel elder, said. “Our lashkar also burned some of their hideouts in Maylo village, one of the TTP’s strongholds,” he said.

Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik commended the SFs for maintaining peace during Ashura processions. Speaking to the media in Islamabad, he said he was thankful to everyone, including the TTP, for their cooperation in ensuring peaceful Ashura processions throughout the country during the 9th and 10th days of Muharram.

December 5: Anti-Violent Crime Cell and CPLC in a joint raid killed three cadres of the Punjab chapter of TTP during an encounter in Allahwala Town of Korangi in Karachi, which ensued in a bid to recover an abducted industrialist Ahmed Chinoy. Two Policemen Raees Baloch and Abdul Sattar were also wounded in the skirmish. Chinoy was abducted from Landhi Industrial Zone of Quaidabad on October 8. Officials said that the abductors had initially demanded PKR 70 million for his release but later decided to settle for PKR 20 million after negotiations. Officials also claimed to have recovered 20 kilogrammes of explosive besides a huge cache of weapons, including four hand grenades and three TT pistols from the hideout.

December 4: Battered by Pakistani military operations and US drone strikes, the once-formidable TTP has splintered into more than 100 smaller factions, weakened and running short of cash, security officials, analysts and tribesmen from the insurgent heartland. “Today, the command structure of the TTP is splintered, weak and divided and they are running out of money,” said Mansur Mahsud, a senior researcher at the FATA Research Center. “In the bigger picture, this helps the Army and the Government because the TTP are now divided.” The first signs of cracks within the TTP appeared after its leader, Baitullah Mehsud, was killed in a drone strike in August 5, 2009, Mahsud said. Since then, the group has steadily deteriorated.

Set up in 2007, the TTP is an umbrella organisation created to represent roughly 40 insurgent groups in the tribal belt plus al Qaeda-linked groups headquartered in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province. “In the different areas, leaders are making their own peace talks with the Government,” Mahsud added. “It could help the Pakistani Government and military separate more leaders from the TTP and more foot soldiers from their commanders.” The two biggest factors hammering away at the TTP’s unity are US drone strikes and Pakistani Army operations in the tribal region.

Turf wars have flared as terrorists fleeing the Pakistani military operations have moved into territory controlled by other terrorists, sometimes sparking clashes between groups. And as leaders have been killed either by drones or the Pakistani army, lieutenants have fought among themselves over who will replace them.

December 2: At least seven militants were killed and five SFs personnel were injured in a clash when TTP militants attacked a security checkpoint at Ursoon area in Chitral District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Chitral Scouts Commandant, Colonel Nasir Jadoon, said that terrorists targeted a border post of Chitral Scouts at Ursoon area with mortar shells from Nooristani province of Afghanistan.

Militants of Tariq Afridi group of TTP were forced to flee from their stronghold in Tirah Valley after its rival militant group LI took control of the Maylo base after a fierce clash. Sources said that dozens of TTP slipped out of Maylo village through secret routes in the night after the LI militants took control of the TTP base in the area. The LI also had the support of Kukikhel volunteers who were opposing the presence of TTP in their area since long. LI sources in Bara claimed to have seized a huge quantity of arms and ammunition from the TTP base along side laying their hand on a number of mules, donkeys and pick up vehicles.

December 1: Five militants were killed as clashes between two rival groups in Maylo village of Tirah valley in Khyber Agency entered the second day. The Kukikhel support the LI against the Tariq Afridi group of the TTP. The Kukikhel and LI cadres are reported to have taken control of an important TTP base and seized three bunkers on the hilltops overlooking the Maylo village.

Police foiled a terrorist attack on Shia “Imambargahs” during Muharram by arresting four suspected TTP militants and recovered suicide jackets, hand grenades, pistols and other weapons from their possession. The accused revealed that they were planning to sabotage the law and order situation during Muharram. Police officials said these TTP operatives had affiliation with Al-Bader Group and smuggled weapons into Karachi via Chaman border of Qilla Abdullah District in Balochistan.

November 27: The TTP said that the NATO attack on Pakistani check posts has proved that America “can never be a friend of Pakistan” and that Islamabad should accept TTP’s stance after this attack, a BBC report said. Mukarrum Khurasani, the assistant of the TTP ‘commander’ in Mohmand Agency Umar Khalid told the BBC over the phone that Pakistan should sever relations with the US. He clarified that no talks were being held with the Pakistan Government as “Pakistan is a slave country and talks with a slave country are fruitless”. Khurasani said that TTP men were present in all areas and only change places as tactics when the situation requires. He said that the TTP accept the leadership of the Afghan Taliban and enjoy good relations with them.

November 25: Sudden and alarming rise in daring daylight bank robberies with criminals decamping with millions of rupees in a highly professional manner hints at Karachi being infested with militants. Officials conducting investigations into the recent heists, particularly in Defence and Gulshan areas, say that the modus operandi of these criminals show that they are not petty robbers but militants who belong to various outfits which are involved in acts of terrorism. Senior officials suspect that the TTP and various other militant outfits from FR Kohat and Parachinar in Kurram Agency of FATA are committing robberies since they have been facing a serious financial crunch in the wake of the measures taken by the Federal Agencies to cut off their main source of income abroad, mainly Middle East.

November 23: TTP attacked a Police Station in Dera Ismail Khan District killing two Policemen and injuring seven others in gunfights. The TTP claimed responsibility for a pre-dawn assault on Police. “We accept the responsibility of the attack on the Police Station in Dera Ismail Khan,” the TTP spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan said.

The TTP spokesman refuted claims by other ‘commanders’ that the outfit had agreed to a cease-fire and exploratory peace talks with the Government, raising the prospect that TTP is splitting into factions. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan backed up his claim by pointing to an attack on a Police Station in Dera Ismail Khan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that killed two officers and injured seven others.

November 22: Pakistan Army denied news reports that alleged that it was engaged in negotiations with the TTP. A statement issued by the ISPR “strongly and categorically” refuted news reports published by Reuters on November 21 that claimed that the Pakistani Government and Army were engaging in peace talks. “The Army is not undertaking any kind of negotiations with TTP or its affiliated militant groups,” the spokesperson said. 

Federal Minister of Interior Rehman Malik welcomed the TTP’s ceasefire offer and said the Government also had received the offer. “However, any peace talks with the TTP are subject to disarming themselves,” he added. 

Hafiz Gul Bahadur fraction of TTP, who has a peace deal with the Pakistani military, said his fighters would not stop army engineers building a road through territory he controls in the country’s northwest, but warned locals working on the project would be killed as spies. Pamphlet distributed under the name of Hafiz Gul Bahadur sternly warned local people not to work with military engineers working on a road and other projects in the area. A pamphlet distributed in Miramshah said the Shura Mujahideen North Waziristan had prohibited securing contracts and other privileges from the military in order to keep tribal people away from its influence. It said the Army had started building Bannu-Ghulam Khan Road, but local people would neither work on the project nor provide construction machinery. The pamphlet said that Mujahideen would not be responsible for security of these people.

November 21: SFs backed by gunship helicopters pounded militants’ hideouts, killing 11 TTP militants and injuring 25 others in central tehsil of Kurram Agency in FATA.  

TTP is holding exploratory peace talks with the Government, an unnamed senior TTP commander and an unnamed tribal mediator told Reuters. The talks are focused on the South Waziristan region and could be expanded to try to reach a comprehensive deal. The TTP are making several demands including the release of fighters from prisons, said the commander. A tribal mediator described the talks as “very difficult”. The United States, the source of billions of dollars of aid vital for Pakistan’s military and feeble economy, may not look kindly on peace talks with the TTP, which it has labeled a terrorist group.

November 18: Police arrested the militants involved in the assassination of an ANP leader, Hanif Gul Jadoon, in a suicide attack in his village, Malikabad, in Swabi District. Police sources said that five militants were arrested during separate raids in Jehangira town in Nowshera District and in Katlang tehsil in Mardan District.  Three of the arrested militants were said to be involved in the assassination of Hanif Gul Jadoon. The detained militants were identified as Tahir Khan alias Abu Tahir, Mohammad Obaid alias Abu Obaid and Mohammad Quaid Khan.  Sources said the three militants have their connection with the TTP.

November 16: Around 17 suspected terrorists, including three TTP ‘commanders’ were arrested from Lahore, Multan and Okara Districts. Several mobile phones and laptops were seized from these suspects. The TTP ‘commanders’ include Qari Muhammad Ashraf, Dr Abdul Khaliq and Mohammad Sarfraz. Sources said that the arrested TTP ‘commanders’ previously belonged to LeJ.

November 14: TTP Chief Hakimullah Mehsud warned that his fighters were planning attacks against the Government and the military to wrest control of areas that they had lost in the country's northwest. In an Eid message posted on the TTP website in English, Urdu, Pashto and Arabic, Mehsud claimed his fighters had withdrawn from certain areas as part of a "war strategy" and were planning attacks to regain areas they had lost control of in Swat, Malakand and the tribal areas. He claimed some of the areas vacated by TTP fighters had again fallen into the hands of the TTP. The militants were waging a guerrilla war and inflicting losses on Pakistani security personnel and US elements, he further claimed. 

However, he claimed that the TTP were continuing the "open war" that was declared by slain TTP founder Baitullah Mehsud against the Pakistani state in January 2008 due to the country's alliance with the US. He reiterated the TTP’s loyalty to Afghan Taliban Chief Mullah Muhammad Omar, saying Muslims did not recognise the Durand Line as the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mullah Omar "is our leader, guide and Ameer (chief)", Mehsud said. "The services and sacrifices made by the TTP for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan have been proven over time and our association with them will only continue to strengthen," he said.

November 12: Five militants, including one cadre of the TTP, identified as Arshad, and four Intelligence officials were killed in crossfire in Pind Dadan Khan area of Jhelum District in Punjab. It was reported that Police had carried out an operation on Pir Chambal hill with the help of Intelligence Agencies. The militants were hiding inside a shrine located on the hill. The militants killed belonged to the LeJ outfit.

The Leader of TTP North Waziristan Chapter Hafiz Gul Bahadur threatened to abandon an unofficial peace deal with the Government, raising the spectre of more violence. Gul Bahadur cited American missile strikes and shelling by the Pakistani Army as the reason for his threat, which was made in a one-page statement distributed in the town of Miranshah in the North Waziristan Agency of FATA “If the Government continues with such brutal acts in the future, it will be difficult for us to keep our patience any longer,” the statement said.

November 11: The TTP said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan is a slave of the US and Europe because he labels himself a liberal, a BBC Urdu report said. Speaking to BBC Urdu, TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said that “liberal” was an English word, and that if Khan thinks he is a representative of the people, he should talk in the language of Pakistanis, which is Urdu,” adding, that Khan was not a supporter of the TTP and neither were they his sympathisers. Ahsan further said that the word liberal defined someone who “thinks they are from all religions, including Islam. A liberal person does not believe in any religion, and also do not believe in Islam and Tauheed (oneness of Allah).”

November 10: At least six persons, four lashkar members and two LI militants were killed in a clash between militants and local pro-Government militia in Akakhel area of Khyber Agency in FATA.   

November 8: SFs captured a TTP Swat chapter ‘commander’, Hazrat Bilal, and his accomplice from Mardan.

November 6: Federal Minister of Interior Minister Rehman Malik invited TTP and all other terrorists to adopt peace. In his message on the occasion of Eid, Rehman Malik told the TTP to throw away weapons and become part of the national stream. The youngsters, who were being misguided, have rejected the TTP, he added.

November 5: TTP militants launched an attack on a military convoy near Razmak, more than 50 kilometres south of Miranshah in North Waziristan, in FATA, killing five soldiers and wounding three others. Troops retaliated immediately with small and heavy weapons but there was no report of TTP casualties.

November 2: A video of November 11, 2010 suicide attack on a CID office building in Karachi was released showing three young men being trained, filming their target, the heavily-guarded premises, and appearing before the camera for interviews before carrying out the attack.  The 15-minute video has been produced by ‘Umer Studio’, said to be the media wing of the TTP, and posted by the Global Islamic Media Front on different websites. The focus is on the three youngsters engaged in armed training at an unspecified place. They appear before the camera one by one and describe their motive. The video with voiceover explains the reasons for the attack. The voiceover says: “Under the designed plan, Rahmanullah and Farmanullah destroyed the security arrangements through firing and hand-grenade attacks and Khan Mohammad drove the explosives-laden truck into the CID building that brought the structure down. It was in revenge for killings of Islamic scholars, clerics and cruelty against Mujahideen.”

October 28: At least 13 TTP militants were killed in US drone attack in Mir Ali area of South Waziristan Agency in FATA. Security sources said there was strong evidence that Taj Gul Mehsud, a senior TTP ‘commander’ and close aide to TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud, was among the victims in the attack. Six others were injured, Security Forces said.

October 26: Unidentified assailants shot dead two persons, including chief of a peace committee, Shahabuddin Burki, in Tank District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to Police, chief of Tank peace committee, Shahabuddin Burki, was in the guestroom of a member of the committee at Civil Lines Colony, when unidentified persons entered and opened fire at them. As a result, Shahabuddin and Asmatullah, the son of peace committee member, died on the spot. A TTP ‘spokesman’, Maulvi Farhad, claimed responsibility for the murders and said that people who worked against TTP would meet the same fate. 

Police and FC carried out search operation in Orangi town area of Karachi and arrested four suspects, including an injured TTP ‘commander’ Usman Ghani.

October 25: Four people, including an anti-TTP militia member, were killed in a remote-controlled roadside bomb blast in Ghor Ghundai area of Samar Bagh tehsil in Lower Dir District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Among the victims included a patient who was being transported to a hospital, local Police official Sher Hayat Khan said. Aziz-ur-Rehman, the anti- TTP militia member, and his son (12), a son-in-law and a neighbour were killed in the blast ripping through the vehicle they were travelling in, the Police said.

October 23: The TTP threatened to attack installations of Shell Pakistan and the state-run Pakistan State Oil if the two firms do not pay a total of Rs 400 million within 20 days as extortion money. "I had personally spoken to the managing directors of the Pakistan State Oil and Shell Pakistan and demanded that they arrange to pay us Rs 200 million each. Otherwise, I had warned them that we would start attacking their installations anywhere in the country," an unnamed senior TTP 'commander' said.

October 22: At least two Intelligence Agencies alerted the Federal Government about a reorganisation of TTP and other militant organisations in Balochistan after the replacement of Police with Levies Force. The crux of the reports was that the rolling back of Police force in most areas had encouraged the militant outfits, including the TTP, to re-organise themselves, taking advantage of loose policing by the Levies which did not have the required training and the will to address such challenges.

The US called on Pakistan to take action within "days and weeks" on dismantling Afghan terrorist havens and encouraging TTP into peace talks in order to end the 10-year-old war.

October 19: At least six terrorists were killed and two hideouts destroyed when SFs shelled them in the Spearkot area of Kurram Agency in FATA. Official sources said that the terrorists killed belonged to the Mullah Toofan group of TTP.

October 18: LEAs claimed to have arrested 10 suspects, including three militants of TTP, during separate raids in different parts of the city and also recovered weapons.

SIU of the CIA claimed to have arrested three militants of the Qari Shakeel group of TTP. According to officials, the suspects were identified as Khalid Khan, Mohammad Jan, and Gul Wali.

Pakistan will only hold peace talks with TTP militants if they lay down their arms first, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said after both sides signalled willingness to consider negotiations.

However, any deals with the TTP could anger Washington, which has been pushing Pakistan to crack down harder on militant groups since American Special Forces killed Osama bin Laden on May 1, 2011 in Abbottabad, where he had been living for years. Meanwhile, COAS General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said that Pakistan Army had no objection over the Government having dialogues with TTP.

October 17: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that TTP and al Qaeda, had planned to abduct PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

Islamabad said that Afghan and US-led forces had failed to hunt down Maulvi Fazlullah, a TTP cleric responsible for a spate of cross-border raids despite repeated requests from Islamabad.

October 15: US drone strikes killed six suspected militants belonging to local ‘Commander’ Mullah Nazir group of TTP in South Waziristan Agency of FATA near the Afghan border.

October 13: Two boys, identified as Amanullah and Abdullah, out of a group of at least two dozen, managed to escape TTP custody and return home more than 40 days after being abducted. The boys were abducted on September 1, 2011, after they crossed the border into Afghanistan, from the Ghakhi area in Mohmand tehsil of Bajaur Agency. TTP had claimed responsibility for the abduction.

October 12: The daylight raids and the subsequent attacks are carried out by the “Black Night” group, a unit of the TTP dedicated to raising funds through robberies, kidnappings and extortion, according to a cadre of the outfit and Intelligence Officers. Mohammed Yusuf, a cadre of the TTP who met an AP reporter in Karachi, said two groups - the al-Mansoor and al-Mukhtar handle much of the fundraising for the movement in the city.

KP Senior Minister and ANP leader Bashir Ahmad Bilour regretted the repeated demands by head of certain political party for holding negotiations with the TTP and said that such statements could be given by politicians lacking sagacity.

October 11: Judge and Judicial Magistrate Malik Naeem Shoukat remanded an alleged terrorist, Qari Inayat, of TTP for three days in Police custody. Inayat is an activist of Qari Shakeel group based in Muhammad Agency in the FATA that is believed to be an offshoot of the TTP. Shakeel is a vice commander of TTP in the agency and had been planning terror attack in Islamabad.

October 10: ATC remanded five alleged terrorists of TTP to Police for seven days. The accused were arrested for possessing huge cache of arms with intent of terrorism in Islamabad.

The TTP sent out a second feeler sounding its willingness to accept the Government's offer for talks with “militant groups” albeit with countries like Saudi Arabia playing the role of mediator. TTP commander Maulvi Waliur Rehman Mehsud said, “Our shura [council] will decide whether and when can we enter into talks with the Government, with the military…but I think we will like to involve countries we trust… they are in the Arab world. Let's say Saudi Arabia.”

October 8: Police arrested two alleged militants of TTP in Islamabad. Police also recovered huge cache of deadly weapons from them.

October 3: Eight aid workers belonging to a US NGO, who were abducted while returning from an Afghan refugee camp on July 18, 2011 from Surkhab area of Pishin District in Balochistan, were released by the TTP in Wana town of South Waziristan Agency in FATA.

The TTP welcomed the Government’s offer for peace talks with all insurgent groups. “The TTP welcomes the Prime Minister’s offer,” Maulvi Faqir Muhammad, TTP’s Deputy Commander and Commander-in-Chief in Bajaur Agency of FATA said.

A TTP commander, Maulvi Faqir Muhammad, said that his group will not blindly support Pakistan in the event of an attack by the US.

Maulana Abdul Khaliq Haqqani, a TTP ‘commander’ of North Waziristan Agency in FATA warned that he will send suicide bombers to target top officials of a state-run power utility if electricity is not restored in the area in 48 hours.

October 2: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said that the Government was committed to bring peace through dialogue with TTP in FATA.

September 30: A US drone strike killed three TTP militants at Baghar village of South Waziristan Agency in FATA.

September 28: A local TTP militant ‘commander’ Tehsil Khan and his associates narrowly escaped a roadside blast in the Shakai area of South Waziristan Agency in FATA.

September 24: A key ‘commander’ of the TTP, identified as Jamal Din alias Jannat Gul alias Qari Abdul Basit, was killed in an exchange of fire with the Police in Tarkhel in Akora Khattak in Nowshera District. Gul was wanted for his involvement in several criminal activities, including the abduction of Naqi Shah, Qamar Nazeer, the murder of his son Farhan Qamar and the killing of three Policemen during an attempt to free two terrorist ‘commanders’- Nadeem Abbas and Zakeem Shah.

The CID of Police in Karachi arrested a TTP ‘commander’, identified as Masood al Rehman Mehsud, in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, along with a suicide jacket and a Kalashnikov in his possession. The accused Rehman Mehsud is a native of Sararogha region in South Waziristan, where he was made the TTP ‘commander’.

September 23: TTP militants shot dead a Police Sub-Inspector when he was on the way to Naguman Police post after recording his statement in a local court at Bakhshi Pul on Charsadda Road in Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Mohmand Agency chapter of TTP claimed responsibility for the killing. TTP Mohmand spokesman Mukarram Khorasan told local journalists on telephone that the official was on TTP’s hit list. 

September 19: At least eight people were killed and 30 others injured in a suicide car bomb attack targeting SSP CID Chaudhry Aslam in the Darakhshan area of Karachi. The blast occurred outside the house of SSP Chaudhry Aslam. The house, nearby buildings and vehicles in the area were severely damaged after the blast. DIG South Commander Shaukat confirmed that six guards, a woman and a child were killed. He said a double-cabin vehicle had been used in the attack. Aslam, who survived the attack, told reporters that he had received threats from militant groups, including the al Qaeda-linked TTP.

TTP claimed responsibility for the suicide car attack on the residence of Chaudhry Aslam, saying Aslam had arrested and killed many of its fighters. “We will attack other Police officials as well who are taking action against our people,” TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location. He went on to name five Karachi Police officials on the TTP hit list. SSP Khan was among the few police officers involved in the cases of terrorism, especially against the TTP.

September 18: At least 15 persons were killed when TTP militants attacked a checkpost manned by pro-Government tribesman and SFs in Akakhel area of Bara tehsil in Khyber Agency of FATA. Armed with assault rifles and hand grenades, the militants killed four Pashtun tribesmen and Frontier Constabulary solider. Members of a tribal militia and SFs retaliated, killing 10 militants. Two vehicles of the lashkar were also destroyed in the attack.

Soldiers battled TTP militants in an attempt to seize precious debris from a suspected US drone that crashed at Jangara village in the South Waziristan Agency near the Afghanistan border. TTP claimed that they shot down the unmanned aircraft, which crashed in the night of September 17 near Jangara village. However, a security official in Peshawar said that the American drone crashed in Zangara village, apparently because of some technical faults. A search operation is continuing to recover the debris, security official added, saying that a group of terrorists fired on troops during the search operation but fled after retaliatory fire. “We have no reports of loss of life on both sides,” he added.

September 14: The FBI and Department of Justice said that three Pakistani citizens, arrested in Miami, have pleaded guilty to providing material support to the TTP. In a statement issued by the FBI, the three accused, named Irfanul Haq, Qasim Ali and Zahid Yousuf, pleaded guilty before a US district judge in Washington to the count of “conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation.” The three were accused of trying to smuggle a “purported TTP member” into the US. In March 2011, the three were arrested in Miami on the count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling. According to the FBI, “Haq, Ali and Yousaf admitted that between January 3 and March 10, 2011, they conspired to provide material support to the TTP in the form of false documentation and identification, knowing that the TTP engages in terrorist activity and terrorism.  “According to court documents, Haq, Ali and Yousaf conducted a human smuggling operation in Quito, Ecuador, that attempted to smuggle an individual they believed to be a member of the TTP from Pakistan into the US.”

September 13: TTP militants attacked a school van in Matani, a suburb of Peshawar, killing four children and the driver. At least 12 boys, two girls and two female teachers were injured in the attack. TTP claimed the responsibility of the attack. “This was to teach them a lesson, and we will continue to carry out attacks wherever and whenever possible, no matter if it is a school or a school bus,” said Mohammad Afridi, a TTP ‘spokesman’ of the Darra Adamkhel chapter.

September 9: Fierce clashes between two factions of the TTP rattled the Talo Kanj, Badsha Kot and Shabak areas of Kurram Agency in FATA. The fighting involved militants loyal to TTP chief Hakeemullah and TTP Kurram chapter Chief Fazal Seed. The latter had parted ways with the TTP and formed his own group, TTIP, on June 27. The rift between the two groups reached peak after Hakeemullah’s men set up checkposts in Talo Kanj, Badsha Kot and Shabak areas. They then started collecting “taxes”. The Fazal Saeed group resisted the move and his supporters attacked the checkposts and tents of Hakeemullah’s men. Both sides used heavy weapons as fighting continued till late into the night. The report about causalities is yet to come.

September 8: The NATO-led ISAF in Afghanistan is resisting Islamabad’s pressure for a big push against terrorists in eastern Afghan provinces, where most of TTP have set up sanctuaries and have launched multiple attacks from there on Pakistan’s border check posts. The differences could result in another rough patch in military and intelligence ties between Pakistan and the US, which leads the NATO mission in Afghanistan. The relations were gradually improving after months of friction.

ISAF Commander General John Allen, who was on his first visit to Pakistan on September 7 after taking over the coalition command in Afghanistan, had to listen to protests by Pakistani generals upset over the ease with which TTP who, after fleeing military operations in the country, launched attacks in Dir and Chitral from their sanctuaries in Kunar and Nuristan. On September 6, Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had visited Chitral and adjoining areas that witnessed TTP attacks and the issue was also discussed at the Corps Commanders conference, underscoring the seriousness being attached by the Army to the issue.

September 7: At least 26 people were killed and over 60 injured in two suicide attacks targeting the residence of the DIG of FC Brigadier Farrukh Shehzad in Quetta. Earlier, it was reported that 15 persons were killed in the twin suicide car bomb blast. The attacks targeted and wounded DIG of Frontier Corps Brigadier Farrukh Shehzad whose force was involved in the arrest of Younis al Mauritani and two other al Qaeda operatives in Quetta in an operation announced on September 5. A woman, her three children and at least 11 troops from the FC and BC were among the dead, Police officer Hamid Shakil said. The TTP claimed responsibility for the twin attacks. “Our fidayeen (suicide bombers) have carried out this attack. It is revenge for the arrests of our brothers in Quetta,” TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location. “If they make more arrests then the reaction will be much more forceful,” he warned.

September 6: The TTP set conditions for freeing 27 abducted youths it has been holding hostage for about a week and demanded that the Government should release children and women languishing in various prisons, stop instigating tribesmen for forming anti-TTP lashkars and disband such lashkars and ‘peace committees’ in Bajaur Agency of FATA. In a video released to the media from Kunar of Afghanistan, Bajaur Agency TTP ‘chief’ Maulana Dadullah confirmed that the 27 children from Mamond tehsil were in the custody of his group. The TTP leader threatened that the lives of the children could be at risk if the demands were not met. He said no-one had so far contacted the TTP for negotiating the children’s release. He said the children were safe.

In an attempt to mount pressure on the Government to release Osama bin Laden’s family from custody, the TTP allegedly plans to abduct high-ranking civil and armed officials from all over the country, says Interior Ministry sources. According to official sources, the Interior Ministry has advised all Government departments and officials of law enforcement agencies to stay vigilant. “Such an incident can take place in Islamabad and provincial capital cities; therefore, strict security measures are needed,” stated a circular issued by the Crisis Management Cell of the Interior Ministry.

September 4: Two militants were killed when a bomb exploded prematurely in Kalosha area of SWA in FATA in the night. Sources said that two militants were planting an explosive device on the road leading to the house of TTP ‘commander’ Sharif Wazir in Kalosha area when it went off, killing them on the spot. Sharif Wazir was a confidant of TTP ‘commanders’ Mullah Nazir and Nek Mohammad. He had played a prominent role in eviction of Uzbek militants from South Waziristan Agency in 2008. Sources said that militants were planting the bomb to target Sharif Wazir.

The chief of Pakistan TTP, Hakimullah Mehsud, claimed that his fighters have the upper hand in Swat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Mohmand Agency of FATA, regions that are close to the Afghan border. He urged Muslims to support the group, according to a video monitored by the SITE Intel Group, which tracks militant websites. It was Mehsud’s first appearance in such a video since he admitted a role in the failed May 1, 2010, attempt to set off a car bomb in New York’s Times Square.

September 3: The TTP said that they were holding 30 Pakistani boys who were abducted September 1 after being lured across the border into Afghanistan. TTP ‘Spokesman’ Ehsanullah Ahsan said that the boys were abducted because they belong to a tribe that opposed TTP. He said that TTP would decide the boys’ fate and set conditions for a possible release.

August 31: The CID arrested a suspected TTP militant, Akhtar Ayub alias Khan, during a raid in SITE area of Karachi. CID Anti-Extremist cell chief, SSP Chaudhry Alsam Khan said that Akhtar Ayub was linked to the Fazlullah group of the TTP and earlier masterminded suicide bombings. 25 kilogrammes of explosive materials, along with detonators and other materials used in bombs were recovered from the arrested militant.

August 27: 25 soldiers and 20 were killed when some 200 to 300 “terrorists” based in Afghanistan attacked seven paramilitary FC checkposts in Chitral District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa early in the morning. The military said both Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Afghan Taliban were involved.

August 25: 11 militants were killed and four others sustained injuries after the SFs shelled their hideouts in Barlas and Akhun Kot in Mamozai area of Orakzai Agency in FATA. However, the TTP Orakzai Agency chapter ‘spokesman’ Hafiz Saeed rejected the SFs’ claim and argued that it was aimed at misguiding the public.

Two LI militants were killed in clashes with the TTP in Tirah valley of Khyber Agency. The sources said that the groups were firing mortar shells on the positions of each other in Mehraban Killay and Dwatoy when a shell fell on the bunker of the LI, leaving two of its militants dead. The two militant groups have been fighting against each other in Kukikhel area in Tirah valley of Khyber Agency for the last two weeks in which more than two dozens from both sides have been killed.

FC personnel raided the house of Sher Amin Afridi and Sher Afzal Afridi in Jamrud tehsil and arrested them. The sources said that the duo was affiliated with the Tariq Afridi group of the TTP.

Police arrested two TTP ‘commanders’, identified as Abdullah, son of Sherzada and Alam Sher son of Sher Afzal, during an operation in Behar under Khwazakhela Police Station area in Swat District.

August 23: 10 LI militants were killed when landmines planted in a bunker by militants of Tariq Afridi group of TTP exploded in the Tirah valley of Khyber Agency in FATA. The sources said the TTP militants planted the landmines before vacating one of their bunkers at Zeeg hilltop overlooking Mehraban Kali in the Tirah valley. LI militants had been laying siege to the bunker for one week, cutting all supplies to more than a dozen TTP holed up at the hilltop. The sources said the LI militants entered the bunker after receiving information that the TTP had fled the area. 10 LI militants were killed on the spot. 

Kukikhel elders recovered four miners who were abducted by TTP militants on June 11 from Darra Adamkhel. A local elder said that coalminers Fazal, son of Mohammad Hanif Rahimullah, son of Abdul Hamid Bakhtzada, son of Mohammad Zahir and Qaimooz Khan, son of Abdul Alam all residents of Shangla District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were recovered when the TTP vacated their bases in the Kukikhel area a few days ago. Earlier on August 17, the TTP had released 12 miners after receiving a huge ransom when the Darra Adamkhel administration brokered a deal between the kidnappers and coalmine owners.

August 21: Six LI militants were killed in renewed clashes with rival outfits TTP in Dwa Thoe and Mehraban Kali areas of Tirah valley in Khyber Agency. Sources said the Tariq Afridi group of TTP clashed with supporters of LI in Dwa Thoe and Mehraban Kali areas.

August 20: TTP claimed responsibility of Jamrud suicide attack. At least 56 persons were killed and 123 injured in the suicide attack during the Friday prayer at Jamia Masjid Madina in Ghundai area of Jamrud area of Khyber Agency on August 19. More action will be taken against the members of Koki Khel tribe if they continue to resist to the TTP in Tirah Valley, a senior journalist quoted TTP’s Tariq group spokesman, Talha, as saying. The TTP spokesman had called a reporter in the morning of August 20 and accepted the responsibility of the suicide attack. He alleged that the Koki Khel tribe had contrived against their group in Mehraban village of Tirah Valley that was why their members were targeted on Ghundi Road. “A lashkar of Koki Khel tribe has killed our fighters in Tirah Valley and has demolished the houses of our members,” the TTP spokesman said.

August 18: The bullet-riddled body of a TTP ‘commander’, Ali Akbar alias Skarwata, was found in fields in Akkakhel area of Bara tehsil in Khyber Agency of FATA.

TTP beheaded a LI supporter, belonging to Qambarkhel tribe, in Tirah valley. Sources said that TTP put on fire at least five houses of their opponents in Kukikhel dominated areas of Mehraban Kallay and Zarmanza. There were also reports about fierce gun-battle between TTP and LI in Mehraban Kallay, Malikdin Khel and Qambarkhel areas of Tirah. However, no casualties were reported from these areas. 

August 17: The leaders of at least 10 militant outfits – al Qaeda, TTP and other groups operating under the umbrella of TTP, top the list of the most wanted in Islamabad. These militants are wanted for terrorism activities such as suicide attacks and kidnapping for ransom. A list of five of them is given below:                                             

Momin Khan established the Momin Khan group to support TTP though intelligence reports claim that he has been operating since 9/11. He is wanted for terrorism activities. There are unconfirmed reports of his death in an attack at Kala Dhaka area of Swat District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.          

Asmatullah Moavia, is credited with establishing the TTP in Punjab, he is said to have remained a member of SSP in the past. He also took part in the jihad in Afghanistan and developed close contacts with al Qaeda and TTP which prompted him to establish the Punjab chapter of TTP and is presently operating from Miranshah in North Waziristan Agency of FATA. 

Qari Saifullah has close links with TTP and al Qaeda and members of his outfit are believed to have been trained by the Afghan Taliban while they have in turn hosted foreign militants, including Afghan Taliban. It is believed that he is involved in the smuggling of weapons and explosives.

Tariq Afridi, the head of one of the major groups associated with TTP, is based in Darra Adamkhel area near Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 

Mullah Rahim and Mullah Faaeez set up the Ghazi Force in Orakzai Agency of FATA and vowed to avenge the attack on Lal Masjid and the killing of Ghazi Abdul Rasheed.

August 16: At least 12 militants were killed in two bomb blasts in the remote Tirah valley of Khyber Agency in FATA. Official sources in Jamrud area said that the blasts in Tharkho Kas and Tora Dara hit two vehicles carrying militants belonging to Tariq group of Darra Adamkhel affiliated to TTP. Officials said the first blast in Tora Dara killed three militants and eight more militants were killed in the second blast in Thatkho Kas. Another militant belonging to LI outfit passing through the area was also reportedly killed. Although no one claimed responsibility for the attacks, the area where the incidents took place is inhabited by the Kukikhel tribe, who have been resisting TTP’s presence in their area and only recently raised a lashkar of local armed volunteers to force militants out of the area.  

An aide of Baitullah Mehsud, identified as Fazal Hussain, was arrested along with weapon and live ammunition in the Jackson Police precincts in Karachi.  A team of CID, headed by SSP Fayyaz Khan, conducted a raid at Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan Road, near KMC Park in Sultanabad area, within the jurisdiction of Jackson Police Station and arrested a close aide of Baitullah Mehsud, namely Fazal Hussain Mehsud alias Baba, son of Burhanuddin and recovered a TT pistol along with four rounds. The accused Fazal Hussain used to provide medical assistance to all injured militants of TTP in Karachi.

August 12: The TTP claimed that the suicide bomber who attacked the SFs at Lahori Gate on Circular Road in Peshawar on August 10 was female fedayeen. 

August 9: Five TTP militants were killed and two others received injuries in a roadside explosion in Mamozai area of Orakzai Agency.  According to sources a vehicle, carrying TTP militants from Arghunjo village to Jabba in Mamozai, a stronghold of militants, was hit by a landmine planted by unidentified militants in Adokhel area. The killed militants were identified as ‘commander’ Bakhtullah, ‘commander’ Mirdad Khan, Kazim Khan, Ghulam Sarwar and Hafiz Mirwais. The injured were identified as Isa Khan and Noor Din.

August 4: Professor Naeem Khalid, chairman of Department of Physics at ICU of Peshawar, has sought Police protection after receiving threats TTP militants.

August 2: Two soldiers were killed and another sustains injury when a group of TTP militants attack a roadside military post near Ladha town in South Waziristan Agency. 

July 31: CID and Anti Extremist Cell (AEC) claimed to have arrested four militants of TTP, one of LeJ and two Lyari gangsters during separate raids in the city. Four TTP militants Abdul Rehman, Nazrab Khan, Azhar Mahmood and Ahmed Khan were arrested from Sohrab Goth along with one Kalashnikov, one repeater, two hand grenades and three TT pistols during a raid on a tip-off in Sohrab Goth. He said the arrested terrorists after getting extortion from the business community in the city had sent the amount worth millions of rupees to their commander Abdul Wali alias Omar Khalid in Waziristan and were also involved in target killings of the people in the city.

July 29: The UN Security Council put the TTP on its international anti-terrorism sanctions list in a move highlighting the growing threat from the outfit. The adding of the TTP to the sanctions list also comes as the Security Council eases pressure on the Afghan Taliban in a bid to encourage it to join peace moves in Afghanistan. The TTP have been blamed for attacks that have left hundreds dead in Pakistan but also been linked to an attempted bombing in Times Square of New York May 1. Britain’s UN Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant welcomed the addition of the TTP to counter-terrorism list, a moved which has been backed by the Pakistan Government.

The TTP said they were holding Swiss couple, Olivier David Och (31), and Daniela Widmar (28) abducted on July 1 while on holiday in the province of Balochistan. TTP ‘deputy chief’ Waliur Rehman did not provide proof that the outfit had the pair but said they were in good health and demanded they be exchanged for Pakistani scientist, Aafia Siddiqui, jailed in the US. He said, “If America does not agree to her release then our shura (council) will take a decision about the Swiss hostages.”

July 23: A senior cadre of TTP’s ‘intelligence group’ was arrested by security agencies in an operation carried out in the Dhok Kashmirian village, the suburbs of the federal capital, Islamabad. One of his associates was also arrested. The security agencies spotted the senior TTP cadre, QZR, through mobile tracking system. He came to Islamabad with a wedding party comprising the natives of Parachinar and Kurram Agency who stayed at the village. Sources said that QZR was one of the main members of TTP’s ‘intelligence group’ which was setting up a network in the capital and adjoining cities. He had direct links with the ‘commanders’ of TTP and another group operating under it, Sources added. QZR, who was a motor mechanic by profession, had left for the tribal areas to join TTP, the sources added further.

July 20: An Afghan security commander was killed in firing in Saranan area in Pishin District. According to some sources, TTP had claimed responsibility for the killing of the Afghan security official.

July 17: Pamphlets describing former ‘vice-chief’ of TTP Maulvi Faqir Mohammad as agent of anti-Pakistan forces were distributed among peace committees of Bajaur and Mohmand Agencies. The pamphlets in Urdu and Pashto on separate papers carry the title “public notice” and read: “Maulvi Faqir Mohammad is a notorious and immoral bargainer of conscience by character. He is enemy of humanity and playing in hands of those powers who want to destroy our motherland. The number one in these anti-Pakistan forces is RAW of India.” The pamphlet further said, “Maulvi Faqir Mohammad had joined hands with the forces working against the interests of Pakistan. The people, who are patriotic sons of this soil and took oath of defending the motherland, should line up against the forces represented by Maulvi Faqir.”

July 12: CID claimed to have arrested seven alleged accused involved in incidents of violence in Karachi, including a militant of Swat Chapter of TTP, Ali Imran alias Imran Shah. The Police also claimed to have recovered four Kalashnikov, two shotguns, one 7mm rifle, and eight kilogrammes hashish.

July 8: TTP leadership in North Waziristan Agency denied their hand in July 5 bomb attack on a SFs convoy in Miranshah, adding that  the US agents, not the TTP militants, had attacked the military personnel to achieve their own objectives.  The TTP Shura met at an undisclosed location. A one-page statement released after the meeting, which was presided over by Hafiz Gul Bahadur, said: “Mujahideen Shura of the North Waziristan gives last warning to those elements who carried out the improvised explosive device attack and opened fire from main bazaar a few days ago. If these people don’t stop their activities then action will be taken against them.” Three security personnel were killed and 14 others injured in the incident.

Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that intelligence reports have identified presence of the TTP in Kati Pahari and other areas of Karachi. “Intelligence agencies have identified presence of the Taliban in Karachi and the Government is working on it,” Malik said.

July 7: One of Pakistan’s most notorious TTP radio voices, Maulvi Faqir Muhammed, is back on the air after the Army raided his stronghold in 2010 and drove him across the border into Afghanistan. Terrorists and their supporters in Pakistan have long used illegal FM radio stations to spread their message and incite violence against the Government. Muhammed was one of the most prominent militant radio personalities before the Army invaded his enclave in 2010 in the Bajaur Agency (FATA), about 200 kilometres northwest of Islamabad. Many of the terrorists in Bajaur, including Muhammed, simply slipped across the border into the Kunar province, an area of Afghanistan where the US has largely withdrawn its troops.

July 6: Up to 600 terrorists from Afghanistan attacked two Pakistani villages, Nusrat Dara and Kharo in Upper Dir District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, targeting soldiers and pro-Government tribal militia. Pakistani Security Forces killed three terrorists and arrested three others, said Ghulam Muhammad, a Government Official in Upper Dir.

In retaliation to the attack by the Afghan militants, the TTP crossed over from Pakistan and attacked Police posts in the Kamdesh District of Nuristan Province in eastern Afghanistan killing 33 Policemen and five civilians.

SFs clashed with TTP militants in Miranshah in North Waziristan Agency of FATA killing one militant and injuring seven persons, including four troopers and three civilians. According to sources, clashes erupted after the SFs started demolishing a private hospital in Miranshah used by the TTP and other militants, one day after a nearby bomb attack killed three troops and wounded another 15.

July 5: TTP Bajaur Agency chapter ‘chief’ Maulana Faqir Mohammad claimed responsibility for the attack on a security post in the Kitkot area of the Mamoond tehsil. Three militants and one paramilitary soldier were killed in that attack. Delivering a speech through his illegal FM radio at night, he said that TTP had also attacked a check post in the Bajaur Agency on June 16.

Canada designated the TTP as a terrorist organisation. Putting the TTP on the terrorism blacklist is “an essential part of our efforts to combat terrorism and keep our communities safe,” said Vic Toews, Canada’s minister of public safety. He noted the group has claimed responsibility for “multiple” suicide attacks in Pakistan, as well as a May 2010 bombing attempt of New York’s Times Square. The TTP became the 43rd group on Canada’s blacklist, which includes al Qaeda, Colombia’s leftist FARC rebels and Hamas, the Palestinian rulers of the Gaza Strip. The move means that people in Canada and Canadians abroad are prohibited from “knowingly dealing with assets owned or controlled by the TTP” and that it will now be an offence to “knowingly participate in, contribute to or facilitate certain activities of” the outfit.

July 4: Chief of the TTP Hakimullah Mehsud has been in isolation for more than a year and is rapidly losing control over the terror group he once led with absolute command and authority, his associates and intelligence officials reported. Insiders of the TTP outfit and intelligence officials in Islamabad told The Express Tribune that Hakimullah might soon be faced with more rebels from within the TTP after last week's defection by one of his top commanders. Fazal Saeed Haqqani, who was appointed by Hakimullah for the strategic Kurram Agency, announced to separate his group of more than 1,000 fighters from the main outfit in what appeared to be the first serious fracture for the TTP. The defection took place within days after unknown attackers killed a spokesperson for the TTP's Fidayeen-e-Islam group – the suicide bombing squad. The killing of Shakirullah Shakir, a key figure of the TTP, in Mirali town of North Waziristan has raised questions over how influential Hakimullah still is in the region.

July 3: A TTP leader, Zia-ur-Rahman, was arrested in Islamabad.  However, there is uncertainty over the exact identity of the TTP leader.  Conflicting reports in Pakistan's local media suggested the arrested leader is in-charge of the intelligence network of TTP.  He is being questioned for his activities, said one report while adding there is no official word on the arrest.  The name of the arrested leader has created confusion as there is another senior TTP leader with the name of Qari Zia-ur-Rahman, who moved to Afghanistan in the wake of major military operation in Bajaur Agency of the FATA in 2008-2009 and is now leading militants in Afghanistan’s Kunar province.

Afghanistan’s Intelligence Agency said that a senior commander from the TTP sold a suicide bomber named Sher Hassan to Afghanistan’s Haqqani Network, to carry out an attack on a local commander in Eastern Afghanistan.  The National Directorate of Security (NDS), Afghanistan’s Intelligence Agency, said the bomber was a Pakistani national and was detained by NDS agents in Jaji Maidan District of eastern Paktia province before he could carry out his mission. Hassan confessed that he was bought by the Haqqani Network to target “Azizullah”, a commander whose affiliation and rank were not given by the NDS. Hassan then spent a month after his sale training with the Haqqani Network. The detained suicide bomber added that a commander under TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud sells suicide bombers at PNR 6,000,000 to PNR 8,000,000 ($70,000 to $93,000), to the Haqqani Network for suicide missions. 

July 1: TTP had been trying to lure back senior ‘commander’, Fazal Saeed Haqqani, because he controls strategic routes into Afghanistan and Pakistan and can block off terrorists’ escape paths, his supporters said. TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud has sought help from Haqqani for a truce with Saeed, who quit the group to protest against what he called “brutal” attacks on civilians, militant sources said. “A six-member delegation of Afghan commanders is meeting commander Saeed at the request of Hakimullah Mehsud to ask him to rejoin the group,” a militant source close to Saeed told a group of reporters.  Saeed’s faction controls important roads used by both Pakistani and Afghan militants based in North Waziristan’s tribal region for attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Saeed, who quit TTP on June 28, has now formed a new group called the Tehreek-e-Taliban Islami (TTI), comprising some 500 fighters and is said to have close ties to Sirajuddin Haqqani, leader of Haqqani Network.

June 29: Islamabad Police arrested two militants belonging to TTP and recovered suicide jackets from their possession. The terrorists identified as Mohib Ullah and Munawar hailed from Mohmand Agency of FATA.

A TTP commander threatened to carry out attacks on nine more key installations in Pakistan similar to the May 22 strike on Mehran Naval Base in Karachi to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden. "The revenge game has already been started from Pakistan. The attack on Mehran Naval Base in Karachi was the first in the line of 10 that Taliban has planned to avenge the death of bin Laden," Wali-ur Rehman, head of TTP in South Waziristan Agency of FATA told Al-Arabiya in an interview. 

June 28: Intelligence officials arrested former LI spokesperson Misri Khan, now a dissident, from Shami Road in Peshawar along with two other persons. Sources said that Misri Khan, aged between 45 and 50, belonged to the Shalobar clan of the Afridi tribe and had served as LI spokesperson for around three years. Around a year back, he along with some senior ‘commanders’ of LI developed serious differences with its ‘chief’ Mangal Bagh, leading to a split in the outfit.

A senior TTP ‘commander’, Shakir, who helped train and deploy suicide bombers was shot dead by unidentified assailants at the Qutab Khel area on Bannu- Miranshah road near Miranshah, the headquarter of North Waziristan Agency, in Federally Administered Tribal Agency at around 4:00 pm. Sources said that Shakir, a resident of South Waziristan, was riding a motorcycle when unidentified assailants in a vehicle with tinted windows sprayed bullets on him. Shakir was a close aide of TTP’s chief trainer of suicide bombers Qari Hussain and had also served as his spokesperson for some time. Fidayeen-e-Islam, a branch within the TTP, was responsible for training of suicide bombers and was headed by Qari Hussain, famously known as ''Ustad-e-Fedayeen''. According to the Associated Press, Shakir once claimed to a local newspaper that his group had trained more than 1,000 suicide bombers at camps in North Waziristan. Shakir’s name hit headlines last month for issuing threats to CJP Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry. He had reportedly threatened the CJP with ‘dire consequences’ if he accepted the conviction of the TTP activists who were awarded death sentence by the Lahore High Court for attacking former President Pervez Musharraf.

June 27: Unidentified armed militants shot dead one Shakirullah Shakir, a TTP ‘commander’ who was affiliated with TTP wing of suicide bombers Fidayeen-e-Islam and helped train and deploy the suicide bombers in Miranshah town of North Waziristan Agency.

TTP threatened to carry out a series of attacks against American, British and French targets to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden. “Soon you will see attacks against America and NATO countries, and our first priorities in Europe will be France and Britain,” deputy TTP leader Wali-ur-Rehman said in a videotape aired on Al Arabiya. “We selected 10 targets to avenge the death of bin Laden,” adding, the first revenge operation was the siege of a Pakistan naval base, PNS Mehran, in Karachi on May 23.

A senior TTP warlord Fazal Saeed Haqqani quit the outfit, saying he had broken with the militia and would form his own anti-American group TTI along the Afghan border. Saeed Haqqani, who was the Taliban leader in Kurram Agency near the Afghan border said that he left to protest against what he said was the outfit’s “brutal” attacks on civilians. Saeed Haqqani will now fight the TTP, and would continue to attack US troops in Afghanistan, said his spokesman, Hafiz Saeed. “I repeatedly told the leadership council of the TTP that they should stop suicide attacks against mosques, markets and other civilian targets,” said Haqqani, adding, “Islam does not allow killings of innocent civilians in suicide attacks.”  “I have therefore decided to quit the TTP,” added Haqqani, claiming to have defected along with “hundreds of supporters.”

June 26: TTP claimed that they had used husband wife duo to attack the Kolachi Police Station in Dera Ismail Khan District on June 25. TTP spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan said that “This shows how much we hate Pakistani security institutions’’.  Ahsan claimed it was the first time the militant group had used a woman suicide bomber. However, Pakistani officials said a woman suicide bomber wearing a burqa attacked a World Food Programme food distribution centre at Khar in Bajaur Agency of FATA on December 25, 2010, killing 45 people. The TTP claimed responsibility for that attack in city of Khar but never said it was by a woman bomber. Still, that was believed to be the first attack by a woman.

June 25: At least 15 militants were killed in the faction clash between the supporters of two TTP ‘commanders’ near the Afghan border in Orakzai Agency of FATA.

June 25: Ten Policemen were killed and another five sustain injuries when two suicide bombers, one of them burqa-clad, blew themselves up inside a Police Station in Kolachi Town of Dera Ismail Khan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. At least 10 Police officers died while five others were wounded during the siege, Regional Police Chief Imtiaz Shah said. TTP claimed the responsibility for the attack, saying it was partly in revenge for the US raid that killed al Qaeda ‘chief’ Osama bin Laden. TTP ‘spokesman’ Ahsanullah Ahsan confirmed that the group sent two attackers, one of them a woman.

June 24: The CID claimed to have arrested four alleged terrorists belonging to different religious outfits and recovered explosives from their possession during separate raids in different parts of Karachi. The Anti-Extremist Cell (AEC) of the CID arrested two Jandullah militants, identified as Mohammad Saleem alias Rizwan alias Jihadi alias Taliban and Rizwan Ali and one Commander of Swat Chapter of TTP identified as Nazeer Ahmed alias Waqas in Mauripur and SITE areas. Liaquatabad Town Police claimed to have arrested an accused allegedly belonging to JeM. 

June 16: Ayman al-Zawahri took over the command of al Qaeda after the killing of Osama bin Laden in a US  led operation on May 1, a website Ansar al-Mujahideen affiliated with al Qaeda said. Zawahri vowed to press ahead with al Qaeda’s campaign against the US and its allies. TTP agreed to back Zawahri as al Qaeda’s new leader and vowed to carry out attacks against Western targets. TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan described Zawahri as a ‘capable person’ and said the former Egyptian doctor would inspire the group to take on the West. “We have been carrying out our activities, which will gather more momentum. We will get revenge for the oppression by the West,” said Ehsanullah over the phone from an undisclosed location. Omar Khalid Khorasani, a senior TTP commander, recently said a few days back that Zawahri would be the group’s ‘chief and supreme leader’.

June 12: Anti-Extremist Cell of Sindh Police arrested two alleged militants, Abdul Razzak alias Omer and Rashid Iqbal alias Basit, belonging to the Punjab Chapter of TTP and recovered 20 kilogrammes of explosives, two hand grenades, two TT pistols, 20 feet detonating wire, 200 bullets from Frontier Colony in Karachi. During the initial course of interrogation Abdul Razzak said that he was affiliated with Commander Wali Mehsud who was the successor of Qari Hussain, a mastermind of suicide bombings and held himself responsible of provoking youth in Karachi, preparing them for suicide bombings and sectarian target killings. He further revealed that he was also responsible to use them for abduction for ransom and robberies for getting money to help TTP fighting in Waziristan region of FATA.    

June 11: About 100 TTP militants abducted 18 coalminers from Akhorwal area in Darra Adamkhel town of Kohat District. Official sources said that the Tariq Afridi faction of TTP entered into Akhorwal area in the night from Tora Chinna area, which connects Darra Adamkhel with Khyber Agency of FATA.

June 10: A TTP ‘commander’, Masta Mir, was arrested during a Police encounter in an area near Dhal Bhazadi of Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Automatic weaponry was recovered from his possession. 

An anti-terrorism court in Peshawar convicted a TTP Swat chapter cadre, Jamaluddin alias Ghouri, for carrying an improvised explosive devise and sentenced him to 14 years rigorous imprisonment. The accused was arrested by Pishtakhara police in the outskirts of Peshawar on July 5, 2010.

June 8: Maulvi Nazir faction of TTP vows to escalate anti-US fight in Afghanistan in response to intensified drone missile strikes on its territory. Maulvi Younus, one of Nazir’s senior ‘commanders’ said that “Because the United States is launching these strikes we will send more fighters to Afghanistan and step up our operations against US forces”. “We have no other option. We have no weapons which shoot them (drone aircraft) down so we will fight the United States in Afghanistan.” “We have lots of Mujahideen (holy warriors). It is not a problem. If drone strikes continue we believe many tribesmen will join us because they (drone strikes) are killing ordinary people,” said Qari Yousaf, a close aide to Nazir. “Our shura (council) will decide on the appropriate time to send more fighters (to Afghanistan) and how many will go.”

Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, an adviser to the Prime Minister after his visit to a jail in Haripur District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province came up with the observation that jails have become breeding grounds for extremists because outfits like the TTP and the SSP have taken their “ideological campaign” to prisoners.

June 6: TTP threatened to attack American targets abroad to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden. Omar Khalid Khorasani, the top TTP ‘commander’ in Mohmand Agency said that the recent attacks in Pakistan were only the start of bloody reprisals after Osama bin Laden’s death. “These attacks were just a part of our revenge. God willing, the world will see how we avenge Osama bin Laden’s martyrdom,” said Khorasani. “We have networks in several countries outside Pakistan.” 

Ahmedzai Wazir tribes won local TTP ‘commanders’ support during a Jirga to keep the 2007 ‘peace deal’ going in South Waziristan after a US drone strike killed dreaded terrorist leader Ilyas Kashmiri on June 3, Ahmedzai Wazir tribe elders said.  “The TTP ‘commanders’ understood Pakistan could do little to stop these drone attacks and assured they will not break the 2007 peace deal the TTP reached with the Ahmedzai Wazir tribes in reaction to the killing of senior militant leader Kashmiri,” a tribal elder told Daily Times by phone from Wana, after returning from the jirga. “We have been invited by the TTP ‘commanders’ to discuss the situation in the wake of Kashmiri’s killing and they (TTP ‘commanders’) admitted they have no hard feelings against Pakistan after Kashmiri’s killing,” the elder said wishing not to be named for personal security. However, TTP leader Mullah Nazir did not attend the jirga.

June 5: The South Punjab chapter of TTP threatens the CD businessmen of Imperial Market in Raza Bazaar in Rawalpindi to shut down movie and CD shops or face the consequences. The letter, written in Urdu on plain white paper, was addressed to the president of Imperial Market, Sheikh Idrees, and claimed to be written by the leader of TTP-South Punjab. However, the name of the writer was not given. “We have noticed that your market has become a den of immoral and un-Islamic activities. You sell pornographic movies and CDs containing immoral content. Therefore, we warn you to stop your immoral activities now or else you will be responsible for the grave consequences,” stated the letter, adding that this was the final warning. The letter also urged traders to, “Help (TTP-Punjab) in eliminating immorality from society.”

The US drone strike that killed top al Qaeda leader and ‘head’ of HuJI, Ilyas Kashmiri in Laman village, 20 km from Wana, in South Waziristan Agency also eliminated top TTP ‘commander’ Amir Hamza. Hamza, a resident of Wana, was commander of the Mullah Nazir faction of the TTP. Mullah Nazir has an agreement with the Government and many Punjabi Taliban fighters are believed to be living in Wana and surrounding areas that are controlled by his group.

June 3: Hundreds of militants besieged Nusrat Darra area in the Upper Dir District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the Afghan border, shortly after troops claimed to have regained control after a combat operation that killed 75 persons. The area is around 10 kilometres (six miles) from the Shaltalo checkpost which was destroyed by militants in two days of intense fighting, killing 27 Policemen and three civilians. The TTP claimed responsibility for the cross-border attack on the Shaltalo security post. Ehsanullah Ahsan, ‘spokesman’ for the TTP, told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location that “Up to 40 to 50 of our fighters took part in the operation. None of our fighters were killed.”

June 2: The CID of Sindh Police claimed to have arrested a suspected TTP militant, Khan Afsar Mohmand alias Jawad, from Manghopir area of Karachi. He is involved in numerous target killings, kidnapping for ransom and extortion cases. A TT pistol and ammunition was allegedly seized from him and a hit list containing the names of senior leaders of Political parties and Police officers was also found on him. Afsar is believed to have joined the TTP in Mohmand Agency of FATA where he conducted militant operations against the Armed Forces. He is said to be closely linked with TTP’s Qari Shakeel group based in the northern areas and is charged of killing seven people in 2010 and one person named Farooq Ahmed in January 2011. Moreover, he carried out most of the murders within the jurisdiction of Pirabad, Mominabad and Site A. It was reported that there are more than a dozen active members of Afsar’s TTP cell in Karachi, who remain at large. The preliminary interrogation revealed that the suspect along with other TTP members was planning a huge suicide bombing mission in Karachi.

May 31: Pakistani warplanes attacked TTP militants in Mirkalam Khel and Akhon Kot areas of the north western Orakzai Agency in FATA killing 18 terrorists. It is suspected that TTP commander, Tariq, who leads militants in Darra Adam Khel area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, could also be among the dead. 

It was reported that the armed forces will carry out a limited operation in North Waziristan Agency primarily targeting al Qaeda, TTP and foreign militants, as against the widely held belief that the focus will be exclusively on the Haqqani Network. Military commanders ruled out the possibility of a full scale operation like the one launched in South Waziristan and said it was ‘unfeasible’ because of difference in ground realities. South Waziristan, they said, was a “no-go area” when they launched a major military offensive in October 2009 to flush out terrorists. “But the northern part has a massive presence of military and there are peace pacts with tribes that cannot be ignored.” 

A senior officer said, “The operation will be very selective and intelligence led.” The major target, it is said, will be the TTP militants who took refuge in North Waziristan after having been dislodged from south. “It will indeed be a big achievement if we succeed in neutralising some of the suicide bomber training centres,” added another officer.

May 30: Local people recovered the dead body of a TTP militant from Akhorwal area in Darra Adamkhel in Kohat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The deceased was identified as Naeem Khan, resident of Ali Baz Kalay and an active TTP militant.

May 25: Nine persons were killed and over 39 got injured when militants drove a car packed with explosives into a CID Police Station at University Road in Peshawar. Senior Police Official Muhammad Ijaz said, “It was a huge blast which completely destroyed the three-storey building,” he said, noting that there were usually 10 to 15 people present at that time in the Police Station. Police said the attack was carried out with a small truck containing at least 200-250 kilograms of explosives, and that body parts were hurled more than 300 metres (yards) away from the blast. The TTP claimed responsibility for the suicide attack, saying it was to avenge Osama bin Laden's death.

May 24: TTP militants, coming from Darra Adamkhel, set ablaze 15 houses in Jammu area in Frontier Region Kohat. The residents of the area had raised an armed lashkar against TTP.

Deadlock was reported in the talks with militants for safe release of 31 abducted passengers. Sources said that TTP demanded PKR 60 million as ransom for release of 31 Turi tribesmen, who were abducted by them on March 26.

May 23: A truck driver and two labourers were abducted by TTP militants in Bahai Dag area of Khwezai tehsil in Mohmand Agency.

May 22: Ten SF personnel and four TTP militants were killed while nine SF personnel were injured in an attack by TTP on the Pakistan Naval Station (PNS) Mehran within Faisal naval airbase Karachi that started in the night of May 22.  The gun battle is still continuing. Two US made surveillance aircraft were also damaged in the attack. Claiming the responsibility for the attack TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said, "We had already warned after Osama's martyrdom that we will carry out even bigger attacks". “The operation still continues. It is not over yet," said one security official. The cordon around the attackers was being tightened and the operation was likely to be completed soon, he added.   

Federal Police arrested one Ashraf Jonu, a militant of TTP accused of attacking NATO oil containers and seized four kilogram explosive material and two hand grenades from his possession. The initial investigation revealed that Jonu trained in preparing explosive circuit somewhere in Afghanistan and also had contacts with a Taliban leader Ameer Abdul Salam and visited Helmand in Afghanistan in 2007. He also remained in contact with Taliban Commander Maulvi Khalil in Afghanistan and allegedly owned up to attacking the NATO oil tankers near Mastung, Mach and Chaman along with his accomplices who hailed from Lahore, Quetta, Miranshah, Muzaffarabad, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad.

May 20: Five TTP militants were killed when a double-cabin vehicle on its way to Sadda in Kurram Agency from Mamozai, went off near the border area of Ghunza in Orakzai Agency. The dead were identified as Rasool Jan, Idrees Jamal, Haider Zaman, Bilal and Akbar Zaman Afridi, the driver.

One passerby was killed and 11 other injured in a car bomb blast on a US consulate vehicle on Abdarra Road in Peshawar, the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, at about 8 am. Two consulate personnel in the bullet-proof Land Cruiser also suffered minor injuries. According to Police, the vehicle carrying US personnel was going to the consulate office in the cantonment from the American Club in the posh University Town. US embassy spokesman in Islamabad, Alberto Rodriguez, said in a statement that the vehicle had been hit by an improvised explosive device. The vehicle was damaged, but no US personnel were seriously injured. The TTP, in telephone calls to AFP, claimed responsibility, threatening further attacks against Western targets and indicating that the blast was to avenge the May 2 killing of Osama bin Laden by US Navy SEALs. “Our first enemy is Pakistan, then the United States and after that other NATO countries,” said TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan.

Police arrested a would-be suicide bomber and two of his handlers belonging to TTP who were planning terror attacks in the financial hub Karachi.  "We have arrested three militants, Alam Zaib, Hasandar Sheena and Inaamur Rehman from Orangi town neighbourhood on a tip-off today," Karachi Police chief Saud Mirza said, adding, "They were members of TTP cell in Swat District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa being run by Abu Mansoor."

May 18: The TTP vowed to fight with “new zeal” in the wake of Osama bin Laden’s death to complete the al Qaeda chief’s mission of waging holy war against the West, the ‘deputy commander’ of TTP Waliur Rehman told the Associated Press. Rehman said that terrorists would continue to stage attacks in the coming days. Rehman spoke to the AP along the border between North and South Waziristan. “After the martyrdom of Sheikh Osama, the Mujahideen will continue jihad to complete his mission with a new zeal,” Rehman said, referring to his fighters. “We have the same target, programme and mission,” he added. “Our enemies are NATO, Jews and Christians.” Rehman also questioned details that have emerged about the US raid that killed bin Laden.

May 17: Two NATO oil tankers were set ablaze near Khor village on Talagang-Attock Road in Attock District. Police arrested three alleged TTP militants for launching attacks on NATO tankers. The three alleged militants were identified as Ali Imran, Shujaur Rahman and Hafiz Aizazur Rahman.

May 16: A Saudi diplomat was shot dead by unidentified militants on his way to the Saudi Consulate in Khayaban-e-Shahbaz area within the limits of the Darakhshan Police Station in Karachi. The TTP claimed the responsibility for the killing, and warned US against attacking its close ally al Qaeda.                      

May 14: Two imams (prayer leaders) of Pakistani origin and a relative were arrested in Florida of US for their alleged links to the TTP. FBI agents arrested Hafiz Mohammed Sher Ali Khan and his son Izhar Khan in South Florida. They will appear before a federal court in South Florida on May 16. The US FBI, which arrested them, is also looking for three other people who are believed to be in Pakistan. Another of Hafiz Khan’s sons, Irfan Khan, was arrested in Los Angeles and will appear in court there. Also charged are three Pakistani residents: Ali Rehman, Alam Zeb and Amina Khan. Ms Amina is Hafiz Khan’s daughter, and Alam Zeb is her son. The four-count indictment alleges that the three defendants arrested in the US planned to provide ‘material support’ to a conspiracy to kill, injure and kidnap people abroad. They also allegedly provided support to the TTP. Hafiz Khan is the imam at Flagler Mosque in Miami. Izhar Khan is an imam at the Jamaat Al Mu’mineen Mosque in Margate of Florida.

May 13: 90 people, including 73 paramilitary forces and 17 civilians, were killed when twin suicide bombers attacked Pakistan paramilitary personnel as they were about to leave from a FC training centre in the Shabqadar tehsil in Charsadda District. “The explosions detonated as newly trained cadets were getting into buses and coaches for a 10-day leave after their course, and they were wearing civilian clothes. The first bomb was a suicide attack. We are investigating the nature of the second bomb,” Charsadda District Police Chief Nisar Khan Marwat said. TTP claimed their first major strike in revenge for Osama bin Laden’s death, adds Dawn. “This was the first revenge for Osama’s martyrdom. Wait for bigger attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan,” TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told AFP by telephone from an undisclosed location.

May 12: The CID of Sindh Police claimed to have arrested four alleged militants of TTP Bader Mansoor group, affiliated with Punjab Taliban, including a student of University of Karachi and recovered 25 kilogram of explosives, two suicide jackets, three Kalashnikovs, six grenades, three pistols, a LMG rifle and various sorts of detonators and electronic devices from their possession in a raid in the limits of Pirabad Police Station in Karachi. The arrested were identified as, Habibullah, Habib-ur-Rehman, Babar Iqbal alias Bubbly and their mastermind Maaz alias Irfan.

May 10: The TTP threatened Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry of “dire consequences” if he does not accept the appeal of their activists convicted of attacking former President General Pervez Musharraf. The TTP militants were sentenced to death by the Lahore High Court in the attack case on former President General Pervez Musharraf. The sources in the Federally Ministry of Interior said TTP ‘spokesperson’ Shakirullah Shakir Mehsud threatened the Chief Justice that if he does not accept appeals of their nine activists he would suffer “dire consequences.”

May 08: Intelligence sources in Dera Ismail Khan and Wana, headquarters of South SWA, said that a member of the 13-man committee of the Hakeemullah Mehsud led TTP was killed in an attack by the rival Qari Zainuddin faction. Sources said that the slain, Mufti Noor Wali, was an important ‘commander’ of the Hakeemullah group.

May 07: The TTP challenged the claim by the United States about the killing of al Qaeda ‘chief’ Osama bin Laden and demanded presentation of circumstantial evidence in the shape of a video to remove doubts. In a message delivered through telephone to journalists from an unknown location, TTP’s ‘deputy spokesman’ Ehsanullah Ehsan alleged that Osama bin Laden was killed somewhere else and the US staged a drama to put pressure on Pakistan and other Muslim countries and to defame Islam. The TTP spokesman refused to accept the US version of Osama’s killing and burial at the sea of such an important man and asked for release of video showing his killing.

May 04: A soldier was killed and four others were injured when TTP ambushed SFs convoy in Serwakai area of South Waziristan Agency.  Sources said that SFs were returning to their base camp after conducting a raid and search operation in the area when they came under attack. The SFs retaliated but the militants managed to escape.

May 02: The TTP confirmed the killing of Osama Bin Laden and issued a threat that TTP will take its revenge. TTP’s spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan in an audio message, said, “Pakistan will be the prime target followed by US”, adding, “The US had been on a man-hunt for Osama and now Pakistani rulers are on our hit-list. We had also killed Benazir Bhutto in a suicide attack.”

April 28: At least five persons were killed and eight others injured after a bomb hit a Pakistan Navy bus in the Karsaz area of Karachi. According to sources, a bomb planted on a roadside exploded when a Pakistan Navy bus was passing by, killing five persons including a pedestrian, a female doctor and one naval officer. TTP claimed responsibility for the attack on the Navy personnel that killed five persons, including two civilians and three officers, and injured eight others.

April 26: Twin bomb blasts targeting two Pakistan Navy buses, carrying officials to work, in Karachi killed four persons, including one civilian female doctor and injured 56 others. According to sources, the first blast hit a naval staff carrier bus with 50 personnel onboard in Defence area, killing two people, Sub-Lieutenant Iqbal and Doctor Shazia, and injuries 37 others. The second navy vehicle carrying 35 officials was hit by a timed bomb concealed inside a garbage drum placed by the side of a road in Baldia Town near Northern Bypass, killing two others, identified as Umar Farooq and a civilian employee Muhammad Sharif, and injuring nineteen others. Later, TTP claimed the responsibility for the blasts, and vowed more attacks on SFs. “SFs will be targeted in the future as well, because they are killing their own people in Waziristan and elsewhere on the behest of the United States,” Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said.

April 26: Security Forces arrested four TTP, identified as Mohammad Zahir, Umair Khalil, Zia and Zakir, from Tarnol area of Islamabad. Sources said that they had a plan to target Islamabad’s Red Zone and sensitive installations in Rawalpindi. They are cadres of Qari Zia group of the TTP, Bajaur chapter. The maps of Islamabad’s Red Zone and sensitive installations and buildings located in Rawalpindi were recovered from their possession.

April 25: A suspect, identified as Mustafa Rehman Orakzai, belonging to Al Mukhtar faction of TTP, was arrested for his alleged involvement in the April 21 Karachi’s Rami Club bombing in which 18 people were killed and 41 injured, from a hideout near the Nadiria hospital, off Superhighway, in Karachi.  Police also recovered 20 kilogrammes of explosives, a rocket, two hand grenades and a TT pistol from the suspect. Investigations revealed that Omar Baloch was the ring leader of the outfit.

April 22: TTP militants abducted a pro-government tribal elder Malak Sher Khan alias Sheray from his house in Gakizai area of Lakkaro tehsil in Mohammad Agency. Later, his body was found in the area. The TTP Mohmand chapter ‘spokesman’ Sajjad Mohmand told reporters that they had killed him for having close links with political authorities. He said the man was going to head a tribal lashkar against TTP.

April 21: TTP in Baizai District of Mohmand Agency killed a truck driver and his helper for supplying cattle to Afghanistan. It was reported that around 20 terrorists armed with automatic weapons opened fire on three trucks soon after they entered the Baizai District dropping supplies across the border in east Afghanistan.

Top 'commander' of TTP Waliur Rehman praised Mehsud tribe for not siding with the Government against Taliban in the South Waziristan Agency. "We congratulate the Mehsud tribe for rendering great sacrifices," Rehman said, adding, "Fellow tribesmen would always demonstrate such character in future. The Government had formed tribal militias against Mujahideen, however these militias were unable to fulfil the objectives set by the Government.

April 20: Seven of the 35 tribesmen who were abducted in an attack on a civilian convoy in Kurram Agency on March 26, are suspected to have been killed by their militant abductors. The rest of the tribesmen are suspected to be in the custody of Mullah Toofan faction of TTP, operating in parts of Orakzai and Kurram Agencies.

The TTP killed a truck driver and his helper in Baizai town of Mohmand Agency for supplying livestock to East Afghanistan province of Nangarhar.

TTP blew up a private FM radio station in Umer Abad area of Parang Police Station in Charsadda District by planting explosives around the building. However, no loss of life was reported in the incident.

April 18: SFs arrested a commander, identified as Abdul Akbar, of TTP Chapter of Orakzai Agency belonging to Hakeemullah Mehsud group along with his accomplice from a clinic in Frontier Region Kohat.

April 16: Three TTP militants and a trooper were killed during an encounter in Tangi Badinzai area of Laddah tehsil in SWA of FATA in the night. The militants attacked a checkpoint in Tangi Badinzai area, killing a member of security forces and injuring two others. The sources said that three militants were killed when SFs retaliated. An unnamed TTP ‘spokesman’ claimed responsibility for the attack on the checkpoint.

April 13: Police arrested four TTP ‘commanders’ during a raid in Maskini Darra of Lower Dir District. The four TTP ‘commanders’ were identified as Nimatullah, Umar Bacha, Saifur Rahman and Abu Bakar.

April 08: Crime Investigation Department of Sindh Police arrested two suspected militants belonging to the Qari Shakeel group of TTP from Sohrab Goth of Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh. The arrested militants were identified as Shahid alias Goli and Mohammad Sharif alias Malang. Two pistols and ammunition were recovered from their hideout. A hit list, which included names of prominent political party leaders and traders in Karachi, was also recovered from their possession.

April 06: Police arrested a TTP militant, involved in several bomb blasts in Islamabad and Azad Kashmir, from outskirts of Islamabad. Police sources said that Faisal Shabbir Abbasi belonged to the Hakimullah Mehsud’s faction of the TTP.

April 5: Two militants belonging to TTP were killed when TTP and Ansarul Islam exchanged heavy fire in Peer Mela Zakha Khel area in Tirah Valley in Khyber Agency. Three other TTP militants were also arrested by the Ansarul Islam.

A TTP ‘commander’, Noor Mohammad Khwaidadkhel, and his bodyguard, Fazl Mahmood, were killed and two civilians injured when unidentified assailants opened fire at a weekly festival in Baggun village of Kurram Agency. Noor Mohammad was an important member of the TTP and its slain leader Baitullah Mehsud had appointed him as his deputy in Kurram Agency. The sources said a militant outfit led by ‘Commander’ Sattar had rivalry with the Noor Mohammad group.

April 03: At least 41 persons were killed and more than 100 injured when two suicide bombers blew themselves up outside the shrine of Sufi saint Ahmed Sultan, popularly known as Sakhi Sarwar, in Dera Ghazi Khan District of Punjab. TTP claimed responsibility for the suicide bombings. “Our men carried out these attacks and we will carry out more in retaliation for Government operations against our people in the northwest,” TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said.

Two accomplices of suicide bombers were arrested. The detainees included a suspected suicide bomber identified as Fida Hussain, a 15 year-old Afghan refugee from FATA.

April 03: Ten TTP militants, including five top ranking ‘commanders’, were killed during an encounter SFs in Tor Chapar village of Darra Adamkhel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The slain ‘commanders’ were identified as Qari Ikramullah, ‘second in command’ of TTP Amir for Darra Adamkhel and Khyber Agency Sarfraz Ayubi, Qari Mubeen, Qari Javed and Abdul Manan.

March 29: Police claimed it has arrested six more alleged terrorists belonging to TTP, over the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab. Lahore Police reported that the arrested terrorists belonged to the TTP, adding that one of them, identified as Amanullah alias Asadullah, had masterminded the assault on the Sri Lankan cricketers in March 2009. The other terrorists were identified as Ubaidullah alias Zubair, Mohsin Rasheed, Muhammad Javed Anwar alias Chaudhry, Qari Muhammad Ashfaq and Umaidur Rehman Qamar alias Zubair. The Police chief said that “the terrorists wanted to kidnap the Lankan team and then make a demand to the Government for the release of their important leaders arrested by Law Enforcement Agencies”. Suicide vests, rocket launchers, Kalashnikovs, hand grenades and other lethal weapons were recovered from their possession.

March 27: The elements within the TTP, based in North Waziristan Agency of FATA, have established a separate vigilance cell to hunt down persons suspected of providing vital intelligence to guide the United States in its drone campaign. Known as Lashkar-e-Khorasan (LeKh), the group’s only purpose is to identify, capture and execute persons allegedly working for what is described as a web of local spies created by the CIA. The LeKh draws it strength from both the Haqqani network and the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, two militias that control the regions along the Afghanistan border. Though the exact number of members in LeKh is unknown, one source in the tribal areas said it was more than 300. The regions where the cell works are Datta Khel, Miranshah and Mir Ali town of North Waziristan, as well as surrounding areas where US drone strikes have been frequent. An intelligence official at Pakistan Army headquarters in Rawalpindi and several local sources from Mir Ali and Miranshah also confirmed the existence and activities of the LeKh, but appeared unaware of its structure.

March 24: At least eight persons, including a Policeman, were killed and 25 others injured when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into the main gate of the Doaba Police Station in Hangu District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A TTP spokesman, Ahsanullah Ahsan, claimed the responsibility for the attack over telephone from an undisclosed location.

March 20: A militant commander of the Swat chapter of the TTP, Noorani Gul, was handed down a consecutive prison term of 120 years by the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) of Malakand Division in its first-ever verdict. The militant is also liable to pay a fine of PKR two million. Gul was accused of publicly slaughtering Mohammad Iqbal, a class-IV public servant working in the Matta Police Station on July 17, 2009.

March 20: Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction of TTP protested against the drone attacks in North Waziristan Agency in FATA and said that if drone attacks were not brought to an end, he would end the peace deal with the Government, reports Dawn. "The peace agreement was made for the establishment of peace in the region but the people of North Waziristan Agency are continuously being targeted with drone attacks and now the jirga’s are not even safe," said Hafiz Gul Bahadur’s spokesperson.

March 18: TTP threatened to avenge the death of innocent people in the drone strikes. A statement issued by TTP ‘spokesman’ Ihsanullah Ihsan said the attack was a ‘blind retaliatory’ operation launched by the US government in revenge for imprisonment of Raymond Davis in Lahore.

March 17: The TTP killed an alleged spy and threw his body in Shni Kalay area of Frontier Region Kohat. The deceased was later identified as, Hamid Khan Afridi, a resident of Pirwalkhel village located in Akhorwal area. Tariq Afridi faction of TTP claimed responsibility. The militants also left a leaflet along with the body warning the tribesmen of similar fate if they did not stop providing information about TTP to Government agencies.

March 16: SFs claimed to have arrested eight TTP suspected militants during an operation in the Kohat District. The suspects were arrested for their alleged role in blowing up two telephone exchanges, three educational institutions and a basic health unit a fortnight ago in Darra Adamkhel.

March 13: SFs neutralised two hideouts of TTP in Ublan Darra area of Kohat.

March 09: Sindh Police arrested four alleged members of the TTP. Anti-Extremist Cell and Counter Terrorism Unit of the Sindh Police’s CID disclosed the arrests of four alleged members of TTP and claimed to have recovered one suicide jacket, explosives, hand grenades, one smoke bomb, one detonator, 10-meter detonator wire, three Kalashnikovs, three TT pistols, five kilogram hashish and weapons from their possession during an encounter in Metrovil area of Orangi Town in Karachi.  However, TTP Karachi Chapter chief Qari Zaman, LeJ member Qari Abid Mehsud, Tayab Mehsud and Shuja Mehsud, managed to escape.

March 08: A car bomb explosion at a gas station in Faisalabad District killed at least 32 persons and injured 125 others. TTP claimed responsibility for attack. TTP spokesman, Ahsanullah Ahsan, said target of the blast was an office of the ISI. Ahsan said the blast was revenge for the killing of a militant by SFs in Faisalabad in 2010.

March 01: The TTP militants shot dead four local tribesmen alleged of spying for the US. The bullet-riddled bodies were dumped on a roadside in Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan Agency in FATA. The notes pinned on their chest read, “We killed them because they were spying for America, anyone who acts like this will face the same fate.”

March 01: At least four persons were injured and 10 houses damaged when militants fired rockets and mortar shells at Adezai, a suburban village of provincial capital Peshawar. Four persons received injuries when shells and rockets landed in their houses. A police post was also damaged in the attack. Farman Khan, a leader of anti-TTP Adezai Qaumi Lashkar, said that they had information about a possible attack by militants. He alleged that they were prepared to counter the attack but local Police dodged them by deploying their volunteers somewhere else. “We have information that militants are jointly headed by Tariq Afridi of TTP and some of leaders of Khyber Agency-based LI as both of them are considering Adezai Qaumi Lashkar as major hurdle in their way,” Farman Khan said.

March 01: TTP attacked Lond Khor Girls’ college in Sher Garh locality of Mardan District killing one girl student and wounding 20 other students and one bystander. It was reported that in addition to firing, the militants also lobbed two hand grenades into the college premises.

March 01: A joint team of Police and Intelligence agencies neutralised a terrorist outfit comprising cadres of the TTP and some Afghan nationals, seizing 16 kilograms of explosives, a rocket launcher and pistols in Lahore.

February 25: PM Yousaf Raza Gilani reiterated the Government’s resolve to continue pursuing a policy of three-Ds (dialogue, development, deterrence), assuring talks with those TTP militants who are ready to surrender their arms to local political agents. “We are ready to hold talks with them (TTP) and bring them into mainstream society,” the PM Yousaf Raza Gilani said, and clarified that the Government would not enter a dialogue with those TTP who had been working on foreign agenda. “It should be a priority for all of us to control these two menaces by showing unity,” PM Yousaf Raza Gilani said while speaking in the National Assembly. He urged all the political parties to unite against terrorism which, he said, had adversely affected the country’s economy.

February 24: The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of Sindh Police arrested a suspected TTP militant, identified as Rahim Zada alias Sher Muhammad, son of Abdul Wakeel, from Feature Colony in Landhi area of Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh. Officials said Muhammad was not only nominated in a number of crime cases but was also placed in the most wanted list of Malakand Agency. They said that Muhammad, who was booked in several cases of crime, including abduction for ransom and attacks on check posts, had escaped from Malakand Agency and was hiding at Feature Colony in Landhi.

February 24: A TTP ‘commander’, Maulana Abdul Khaliq Haqqani, warned the PPP against freeing CIA agent Raymond Davis who is facing double murder charge for killing two Pakistani nationals in Lahore. “Raymond is killer of Pakistanis and tribal people. We will pick one by one PPP leaders if the American was released,” Maulana Abdul Khaliq Haqqani said in a press statement. He warned that the PPP leaders at provincial, District and town level would be targeted if Davis was released under pressure. “Hand him over to us if the Government is hesitant to punish him for his crime,” Maulana Abdul Khaliq Haqqani demanded.

February 22: Sindh Police arrested two militants, including a close aide of slain TTP ‘chief’ Baitullah Mehsud and a cadre of LeJ, in separate raids at different areas of Karachi. Anti Extremists Cell of the CID arrested Alauddin Barki, a close aide of Baitullah Mehsud and an alleged member of TTP from Sohrab Goth area and recovered a TT pistol from his possession. The militant’s name was also included in CID’s Red Book List as he had links with terrorists in the city.

In Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town, Police arrested one Sajid, who was stated to be a member of the banned outfit LeJ, and an aide of LeJ leader Qasim Ganjja, in the precincts of Aziz Bhatti Police Station. During the interrogation the accused confessed that he had targeted four persons, including Syed Yawar Abbas Jaffery, a senior worker of MQM, and was also setting a target killing plot in Karachi.

February 22: Police arrested two close relatives of the TTP ‘commander’ Hafizullah in connection with the attack on ANP Senator Zahid Khan’s Hujra on January 25 from Balambat Police Station area of Timergara town of Lower Dir District.  Briefing local media persons, the Station House Officer Naeem Khan said a special Police party, on a tip off, raided a house at Khall and took into custody two accused, identified as Ali Bacha, son of Umat Khan and Zahid Hussain, son of Hazrat Hussain, residents of Wari area of Upper Dir District.

February 21: The CIA agent Raymond Davis, the alleged killer of two Pakistanis in Lahore, had close links with the TTP. The New York Times report said that Davis “was part of a covert, CIA-led team of operatives conducting surveillance on militant groups deep inside the country, according to American Government officials.” This contradicts the US claim that Davis was a member of the ‘technical and administrative staff’ of its diplomatic mission in Pakistan. Davis was arrested on January 27 after allegedly shooting dead two young motorcyclists at a crowded bus stop in the Lahore District of Punjab. A senior official in the Punjab Police claimed, “His (Davis) close ties with the TTP were revealed during the investigations”. “Davis was instrumental in recruiting young people from Punjab for the Taliban to fuel the bloody insurgency.” Call records of the cell phones recovered from Davis have established his links with 33 Pakistanis, including 27 militants from the TTP and LeJ sectarian outfit.

January 18: The TTP killed four members of an alleged ‘dacoit group’ in Sarkadana area of Hangu District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The slain persons were identified as Anwar, Ghazi, Farooq and Sharabi. The official sources that the TTP had left a letter with the four dead bodies, claiming the responsibility of the killings and warned the local prayer leaders and people against attending the funeral prayers of the deceased.

January 18: Britain moved to ban the TTP as a terrorist outfit, making it illegal to belong to or raise funds for the organisation in Britain. “Proscription is a tough but necessary power to tackle terrorism and is not a course of action we take lightly,” said Theresa May, adding, “Proscription means that membership of TTP will become a criminal offence, and the organisation will not be able to lawfully operate in the United Kingdom, including raising funds.”

January 18: President Asif Ali Zardari had a secret meeting with a group of senior TTP militants in a “secret prison” in Pakistan in April 2010 during which he expressed the Pakistan Government's "support for their mission", a researcher studying developments in Afghanistan reported. Matt Waldman, a research fellow at the Carr Centre for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University, made the claim in a paper he published in 2010.

January 16: TTP warned tribesmen of NWA against joining the Army, Frontier Corps or Levies Force. A pamphlet distributed in Miranshah on behalf of the Shura-i-Mujahideen (council of holy fighters) said the Government had been recruiting locals in the army, Frontier Corps and Levies Force to use them against the TTP. This Shura is led by a militant leader Hafiz Gul Bahadur. “Recruitments can create civil war in North Waziristan,” said the pamphlet written in Urdu. “Those who have already joined Levies and (other) paramilitary forces should quit their jobs. Those who don’t obey the advice will face consequences and Mujahideen will not accept any excuse,” it said.

January 14: TTP militants armed with rockets and rifles attacked the house of a woman Police constable, Shamshad Begum (50), early in the morning, killing her and five of her relatives in Tootkas town of the Hangu District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Shamshad Begum had been receiving death threats from TTP for sometime, a senior official Khalid Khan said. Shamshad was killed along with her two sons, one daughter and two of her husband’s sisters. The TTP engaged in a campaign of violence against SFs, had recently sent her letters warning her to quit the Police job.

January 13: The ‘chief’ of a peace committee of Mohmand Agency, Malik (head) Mohammad Salam Khan (60), was killed and another elder received bullet injuries in an attack outside a mosque in Tablighee Markaz area of Peshawar. Sources said that Malik Mohammad Salam Khan, the chief of anti-TTP volunteers of Tarkzo area in Mohmand Agency of FATA, had come to Tablighee Markaz in Peshawar along with Shah Wali Khan, a tribal elder of Khyber Agency. Malik Salam Khan was a known pro-government elder of Tarkzo village in Yaka Ghund area of Mohmand Agency. He had raised an armed lashkar against militants. It is to be mentioned here that Malik Salam is the sixth elder and head of a peace body falling prey to militants` attack in Peshawar. Meanwhile, TTP Mohmand chapter ‘spokesman’ Sajjad Mohmand claimed responsibility for killing of Salam Khan.

January 6: TTP claimed responsibility for the assassination of Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer saying that the “man who killed him was from among us”. “We claim responsibility for the killing of Salmaan Taseer. 

January 5: TTP militants chopped off the hand of a man, Abdul Khaliq (31), convicted of theft in a self-appointed Sharia court in Orakzai Agency. The TTP court found Abdul Khaliq guilty of stealing from a shop on December 23.

January 4: TTP militants attacked a convoy carrying food items, medicines and other goods to Parachinar at Denari near Sadda town in Kurram Agency of FATA and torched seven vehicles. The convoy was attacked at a time when elders of various tribes were planning to hold Jirgas in Parachinar and Sadda.

January 3: TTP chopped off a hand of a tribesman, Abdul Khaliq, after a Sharia (Islamic Law) court found him “guilty” of committing a theft in Qureshan Chowk in Mamozai area of Orakzai Agency.

January 3: TTP attacked a NATO oil tanker with a remote control bomb near Ali Masjid area in Landikotal tehsil of Khyber Agency, destroying it completely. However, no loss of life was reported.

January 2: A suspect associated with the TTP and said to have connection to the November 11 bombing of the CID offices in Civil Lines area of Karachi was arrested by Security officials in Rahimyar Khan District of Punjab while he was returning from Karachi.

 

 

 

 

 
Copyright © 2001 SATP. All rights reserved.