TTP Woos the US in Its Fight Against the Pakistani State

The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) recently issued a press statement in which it asked the United States to help the group in its fight against Pakistan. In the statement, the group assured Washington that it had no global militant agenda and that its fight was only against the Pakistani state.

Advising the U.S. against trusting Pakistan, the group alleged that Islamabad has played “double games” with Washington in the last 20 years. It went on to say that the TTP had no affiliation with al-Qaida or any other militant group and asked Washington for help in “fighting against the Pakistani state for the rights of the oppressed tribes.”

The TTP’s statement is noteworthy for many reasons. It should not be forgotten that the TTP emerged more than a decade ago by building on the rampant anti-U.S. sentiments in Pakistan. In the early days of its existence, it was able to recruit men in large numbers by blaming Pakistan for playing the role of Washington’s frontline ally in its war in Afghanistan. For its part, the U.S. listed the TTP as a foreign terrorist organization in 2010.

The latest development offers an insight into the TTP’s thinking in the context of the withdrawal of the U.S. and international troops from Afghanistan. It also throws light on the challenges that it and other actors close to it may be facing.

There are several possible reasons for the TTP to decide to try and recruit the U.S. government in its fight against Pakistan. It is likely that the the group was inspired by the Afghan Taliban’s approach.

For years, the Afghan Taliban made efforts to develop a working relationship with the United States, knowing that Washington’s support would be crucial for their eventual bid to gain international legitimacy.

Moreover, the Taliban not only facilitated the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan last year, but continue to engage with Washington in various forms. Arguably, the Taliban’s effort to rebrand from a militant group to a political organization – one, the Taliban hope, that will be acceptable internationally – cannot happen unless the outfit lets go of its militant characteristics and formulates a new, softer political identity. For instance, the Taliban have had very close to ties with militant groups such as al-Qaida. However, now the Taliban claim to have buried all such ties as the group works for the development of Afghanistan.

Similarly, in the TTP’s case, the group not only supported al-Qaida and sheltered other militant groups but also openly opposed the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and fought alongside the Taliban for many years. Perhaps the TTP leadership feels that carrying the baggage of being an al-Qaida ally is not working to its benefit.

Critically, the group perhaps feels that the narrative regarding the Pakistani military’s support for the U.S. is not enough to keep it relevant in the post-withdrawal environment. With the war in Afghanistan over, the country’s politics have again shifted to local dynamics.

To an extent, TTP is likely pitching itself as a resistance group rather than a militant outfit. In an effort to rebrand its identity, it is possible that in the coming weeks, the TTP may start aggressively portraying itself as a group that is fighting to defend the rights of the people of tribal areas and whose actions are only defensive in nature. It is important to note here that the TTP has stopped targeting civilians in Pakistan and is only attacking security forces.

It is also possible that the Afghan Taliban themselves are pushing the TTP to shed the image of a militant outfit to enable continued engagement.

The Taliban are trying to convince the world – particularly the U.S. – that they do not have ties with any militant outfit. The U.S. considers the TTP a terrorist group and has even helped Pakistan in the past in taking out the group’s leaders in Afghanistan.

Nevertheless, the TTP’s effort to woo the U.S. is not likely to have a meaningful impact. The TTP will continue to remain a militant outfit that has killed thousands of Pakistani civilians and security forces.

Pakistan may have a troubled relationship with the United States, but the latter is unlikely to pay heed to a militant group that openly helped other extremist groups in the region in killing American soldiers and undermining its interests over the last decade.

Some analysts in Pakistan view the TTP’s call as a reflection of desperation as it comes under pressure from different sides to make a deal with Pakistan. During the last few weeks, several high-profile TTP militants have been killed in targeted attacks in Afghanistan. It is likely that some factions of the Taliban are quietly helping Pakistan to eliminate TTP leaders who are against dialogue with Islamabad.

Some reports suggest that Pakistan may be considering releasing more TTP fighters as part of the ongoing peace talks with the group. Such a release may prompt another ceasefire between Pakistan and the TTP.

So far, no one in Pakistan has paid attention to the TTP’s efforts to mend ties with the United States. The U.S. is not going to stop working with Pakistan to tackle militancy in the region regardless of the nature of ties between the two countries. Recently, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Tom West said that the U.S. had no choice but to work with Pakistan on the way ahead in Afghanistan.

If the TTP continues to pose a threat to Pakistan, and the Taliban fail to address the country’s reservations in this regard, a scenario whereby Pakistan allows the U.S. military to operate bases on its soil cannot be ruled out.

Moreover, Pakistan’s cross-border attacks are also likely to increase as the country sees the TTP’s sanctuaries in Afghanistan as a major challenge.

The changing regional dynamics in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan are forcing many actors into reconsidering their positions, which is what the TTP is trying to do.

Only time will tell if Pakistan will allow the U.S. a military presence on its soil, which could also help it check TTP’s threat in Afghanistan. But any such move will have its own implications as the Taliban have warned Pakistan that they will “not remain silent in the face of such heinous and provocative acts.”

The TTP, on the other hand, will continue to make efforts to rebrand itself into a political group, but its bid to win support in the U.S. against Pakistan is unlikely to be successful.