Three Taliban groups in South Waziristan have formed a new anti-Baitullah Mehsud alliance, with Ikhlas Khan alias Waziristan Baba as its chief, reported a private TV channel on Wednesday.According to the channel, the groups -- Turkistan Bathni, Haji Tehsil Khan Wazir and Ikhlas Khan Mehsud factions -- have named the alliance Abdullah Mehsud group. The new group has already established offices in Gomal, Umar Adda, Jandola, Pang, and Sheikh Autar areas of South Waziristan.
Waziristan Baba, 42, believes that Baitullah was behind the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. He said he would avenge the killings of innocent people who fell victim to attacks launched by Baitullah. "Those who destroy hospitals and schools and kill our brothers and sisters are not our well-wishers," he said.
The alliance comes after Baitullah assassinated archrival Qari Zainuddin -- who was gunned down by one of his own bodyguards. Zainuddin had been urging tribesmen to rise up against Baitullah's TTP. The TTP chief and his followers have said that anybody working against the group would meet a similar fate.