Taliban,Al-Qaeda opted for peace deal to focus on 'War on terror' in Afghanistan, says a Western diplomat

Islamabad, Feb.25 (ANI): The Swat peace deal may be seen as an initiative to bring peace in the insurgency ravaged valley, but experts feel that the outlawed militant groups such as the Taliban and Al-Qaeda opted for the truce because they wanted to focus, and prepare themselves for what may be a final assault on them by the allied forces in Afghanistan in near future.

Fearing a massive crackdown on them after US's decision to send in 17,000 more security personals to carry on the 'War on terror', the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in a bid to re-group and re- strengthened their strategy against the US and NATO forces have agreed on the deal.

"The main reason, we believe, for a shift in Taliban policy with the consent of al-Qaeda is the fair idea that with their strength divided they won't be able to inflict the desired damage on the foreign troops in Afghanistan," The Nation quoted, without naming, a western diplomat, as saying here.

"They are redrawing the battle lines," he added.

He said that Baitullah Mehsud led Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in entering into deal with other militant outfits in Waziristan confirms that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda are planning to offer stiff resistance to the US led forces.

Replying a question that Taliban had asked its operatives to stop its offensive against Pakistani security forces because they were Muslims, the diplomat mockingly said:"After years of long acts of subversion, all of a sudden it occurred to them that their target was a Muslim state, what a realization." (ANI)