SUMMARY
The Forces of Turkestan Bhittani are an armed group under the command of warlord Turkestan Bhittani, mainly operating in the Waziristan region of Pakistan. The history of the group starts in 2007, as Bhittani split from TTP (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan: Taleban Movement of Pakistan), mainly over a difference on whether the group should fight the Pakistani government. Bhittani claimed the only justified war was against the US-led forces present in Afghanistan, and not against the mainly Muslim Pakistani Government, while Baitullah Mehsud, one of TTPs main leaders, considered Pakistan a legitimate target. After the split, the two groups became rivals and quickly engaged in various forms of violence - one of the first such events being the kidnapping of 16 Bhittani tribe members by TTP.
As Turkestan Bhittani was engaged in fighting TTP and did not challenge the governmental security forces, Pakistan offered its support to the group. Funds, use of official buildings (including for recruitment purposes) and tolerance to illegal activities were offered to the group in exchange for help in participating in the governmental offensive and in patrolling and cleaning up formerly Taleban-controlled areas. With the help of the government, the forces of Turkestan Bhittani engaged TTP in battle over control for various strategic positions, attempting to deny them access to important areas, such as the Wana Jandola road. Further, the Forces of Turkestan Bhittani have been allied with Qari Zain, another tribal warlord, and his pro-government militia. However, this alliance was short-lived, as Qari Zain was assassinated by TTP on 23 June 2009, with his forces being disbanded soon afterwards.
An important point in the history of the group came with the death of Baitullah Mehsud, on 5 August 2009. At that point Turkestan Bhittani attempted to engage himself in the power-struggle of the local TTP cells, attempting to gain authority and take control of the group. However, this did not succeed, triggering significant retaliation from the various contenders vying for the top-position in the TTP hierarchy.
The Forces of Turkestan Bhittani are approximately 1000-1500 members strong, an order of magnitude less than TTPs forces in the area. The leader of the group, Turkestan Bhittani, is a warlord having significant power over the relatively small Bhittani tribe. Before 2007 and his split from TTP, he took part in the Afghan conflict, fighting alongside the Taleban against the coalition forces.
The Forces of Turkestan Bhittani have been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.
