Taliban's internal strife led to Polish engineer's killing: Report

Islamabad, Feb.12 (ANI): A conflict between the head of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TPP), and another militant commander Qari Hussain led to the brutal killing of Polish engineer Peter Stanczak, The News reports.

According to sources, TTP chief Baitullah Mehsud wanted his associates to be released in return for the Polish engineer, but Qari Hussain put another list of prisoners, including four important Lashkar-e-Jhangvi members, which led to differences within the outlawed group.

"Qari Hussain was interested in getting some important Jhangvi members and an Uzbek militant released in return for the captive engineer but the head of the TTP wanted that the Polish should be handed over to him so that he could negotiate with the government for his own captured Taliban militants. This forced Qari to behead the Polish engineer," sources said.

"A day before the beheading of the engineer, Baitullah sent his men to bring the captive but the Qari group did not agree and beheaded the captive the next day," they added.

Muhammad, a spokesperson for TTP's Darra Adamkhel chapter, who claimed the responsibility for beheading Stanczak, said Taliban would continue to kill 'non-believers'.

Hakimullah Mehsud, a close aide of Qari Hussain, said the Taliban would soon force Europeans to vacate the region by carrying out more killings like the Polish engineer's murder.

Polish geologist, Peter Stanczak was kidnapped from Attock district in September last year.He was beheaded by the Taliban last week after negotiations between the abductors and Pakistan authorities failed. (ANI)