Violent infighting has reportedly erupted between rival militant factions in the vicinity of Wana, Lower South Waziristan, amid a dispute over money allegedly extracted from the region’s pine-nut trade.
According to information received from local and security sources, an intense gun battle broke out near Korezi Bridge in Kreekot, where operatives affiliated with the TTP Rahmatullah Group reportedly confronted members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Gulbahadur (TTG), Zindan Group.
The confrontation is reportedly linked to an escalating dispute over the collection and control of extortion money from the lucrative pine-nut trade, highlighting the increasingly fractured and financially driven nature of militant networks operating in the area.
Sources report that the attack was carried out by operatives of the TTP Rahmatullah Group, allegedly led by Muzammil, Zahid and Ehsan.
The reported casualties include:
- TTG commander Fateh, reportedly killed at the scene.
- Khurasani, also reportedly killed during the confrontation.
- Three additional associates, reportedly critically injured.
The reported deaths of senior figures represent a significant development in the ongoing rivalry between competing militant factions and demonstrate the extent to which internal disputes are increasingly translating into armed confrontations.
The latest clash reportedly stems from competition over control of revenue generated through extortion from the pine-nut trade. Such disputes point to a broader struggle within militant networks over financial resources, territorial influence and control of local economic activity.
Rather than representing a unified militant structure, developments such as the reported Korezi Bridge confrontation suggest increasingly visible divisions between groups and commanders competing for influence and financial control.
The involvement of armed factions in disputes over commercial revenue also underscores the wider impact of militant activity on local communities and legitimate economic activity. Traders, farmers and local businesses operating in the region can face significant pressure when militant organisations attempt to impose illegal levies or extract payments.
The reported confrontation provides another indication of the deep internal tensions affecting militant organisations operating in the region. Rivalries over money, territorial control, leadership and influence can create serious divisions within such networks. When these disputes escalate into armed clashes, former allies and associated factions can rapidly become adversaries.
The reported confrontation near Korezi Bridge therefore carries significance beyond the immediate exchange of fire. It highlights how internal competition and financial interests can weaken militant networks from within.
The reported fighting also presents an important security concern for the people of Lower South Waziristan. Internal militant clashes can produce unpredictable consequences, including further violence, retaliatory attacks and displacement of local populations. At the same time, the reported casualties could alter the balance of influence between competing factions and potentially trigger further struggles over leadership, territory and financial resources. Security authorities will need to closely monitor developments in the area, particularly for signs of retaliatory violence or attempts by either faction to consolidate control following the reported deaths.
The reported infighting illustrates a broader reality: militant organisations are not immune to the same struggles for power, money and influence that affect other armed networks. When financial interests become a central source of rivalry, internal cohesion can deteriorate rapidly. The reported dispute over pine-nut extortion demonstrates how local economic activity can become entangled in militant competition, placing additional pressure on communities already affected by insecurity.
The reported deaths of Fateh and Khurasani, together with injuries to three other associates, could therefore have repercussions beyond the immediate battlefield.
