Taliban Vs Taliban

At a time army gunships are pounding the hideouts of militants loyal to Baitullah Mehsud, the chief of the powerful Mehsud tribe and head of the local Taliban, government agencies are trying to bring anti- Mehsud militants into fold under pro-government Taliban commander Mullah Nazir.

"The government agencies are approaching the tribesmen belonging to Ahmedzai Wazir tribe to rise against Baitullah Mehsud," intelligence sources told IslamOnline.net.

Mehsud is the biggest tribe in South Waziristan with 60 percent of the 700,000 population while the rival Ahmedzai Wazir tribe makes up 35 percent.

Though Wazirs number almost have Mehsuds, they are the richest tribe in the area controlling about 70 percent of local businesses, particularly the supply of medicines.

Wana, the capital of South Waziristan and hub of medicine supply to the entire tribal belt region and northeastern Afghanistan, is dominated by Wazirs.

Wazirs and Mehsuds have always been rivals but they came at loggerheads in March 2007 when Wazirs led by Mullah Nazir rose against foreign militants, mostly from central Asian origin, and ousted them from Wana.

The militants became persona non grata after getting involved in local feuds, killing many tribal elders.

After their ouster from Wana, almost half of them shifted to North Waziristan while the others took shelter in Mehsud-dominated areas of South Waziristan.

Tensions further escalated when the militants attacked and seized vehicles of Wazirs travelling on Wana-Tank road giving an opportunity to the government to bring the tribesmen against each other.

Local tribesmen say the army had supported pro-government Wazirs to oust foreign militants from the area.

Close to 200 people have been killed in South Waziristan in the first weeks of January in clashes between security forces and fighters loyal to Baitullah Mehsud.

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