A violent clash between two rival factions of the proscribed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) over extortion proceeds from a major gas company left six Khawarij dead and seven others injured in North Waziristan’s Manzar Khel area, in what officials described Tuesday as an intensifying power struggle within extremist ranks. According to security and tribal sources, the confrontation broke out between the Gohar Group, linked to Aleem Khan of the so-called Khushali Group, and the Zarmajan Group, associated with the Gul Bahadur network. Both groups reportedly arrived to demand extortion from Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL), sparking a fierce exchange of fire when neither backed down.
The sources revealed that TTP-affiliated Khawarij groups have been systematically extorting a five percent “protection tax” from mining firms and private energy companies across North and South Waziristan. The escalating financial stakes have led to open warfare between factions competing for control of the illegal revenue stream.
“Both groups claimed exclusive rights to extort the same company. This is not about ideology—this is a turf war over money,” said a senior security official familiar with the developments. “They are now killing each other to monopolize extortion networks.”
Eyewitnesses from Manzar Khel reported hours-long gunfire and panic in surrounding villages. The injured Khawarij were shifted to unknown locations by their comrades, while tensions in the area remain high. No formal statement has been issued by law enforcement or the company concerned, but intelligence agencies are monitoring the situation closely.
Observers warn that the growing trend of organized extortion by TTP factions represents a strategic shift from ideological militancy to profit-driven criminal enterprise. The internal fragmentation, they argue, reflects a broader breakdown in the group’s central authority.
Mari Petroleum, which has faced repeated threats in the past, has not commented on the incident. However, industry insiders say extortion demands have become a chronic threat for companies operating in resource-rich tribal regions.
The resurgence and fragmentation of the Khawarij under various local banners poses renewed challenges to peace efforts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s tribal belt, where state institutions continue to struggle against a complex insurgency marked by shifting alliances and financial motives.
