Friday, May 13, 2011

"The death of bin Laden will weaken the Taliban's most radical"

They had pledged retaliation to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden. Friday, May 13, the Taliban have put their threats into execution by committing a double bombing that killed at least 80 young police recruits in northwestern Pakistan. It is probable that they organize further attacks in coming months, domestic terrorist groups should nevertheless be weakened in the long term, the death of the leader of al-Qaeda, which they considered as their guide said Karim Pakzad, a research specialist in Pakistan and Afghanistan at the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (IRIS).

Initially, the activists belonged to a flock of radical Islamist organizations in Pakistan who wanted to establish an Islamist government in Pakistan. They were tolerated and even supported sporadically by the Pakistani government, then in conflict with India. But after the attacks of September 11, 2001, pressed by the United States and their willingness response, Islamabad has banned these organizations.

Pakistani militants then stole the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. There they met with activists of Al Qaeda who had taken folded after the overthrow of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. The links they forged gave birth to a Pakistani Taliban movement, active and radicalized in 2005.

The Pakistani Taliban have been influenced by the ideology and methods of action of al-Qaida. They have close links with the terrorist organization. They have also lent his allegiance in 2007 because they needed its activists in their fight against the Pakistani authorities and the army allied with the Americans.

Since 2005, they have somewhat expanded their goals to a takeover in Pakistan to turn the country into an Islamic regime but also a rear base for al-Qaida. Al-Qaida has therefore strengthened in Pakistan while he was losing influence in Afghanistan. Several years before the death of bin Laden, the Afghan Taliban had indeed departed from the organization because of differences in goals.

The Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan has never had a vocation as jihadist. It is a nationalist movement, simply concerned about the reconquest of power in Kabul. In the short term, the death of bin Laden will lead to retaliatory actions, as had been promised the Taliban. They decided to avenge the founder of Al Qaeda and will continue to do so for some time.

But these attacks can not continue because the medium and long term, the disappearance of the leader of al-Qaida will weaken them. The attachment of extremist activists TTP to the person of bin Laden himself was indeed crucial. They lose a point of identification, a label and an authority all the more important they are fighting a fratricidal struggle for influence within the movement are diverse as the Pakistani Taliban.

TTP indeed fight against the Pakistani government and army, but also against other Taliban groups and tribal leaders, allies and protected by the government. The disruption and loss of legitimacy of TTP, caused by the disappearance of bin Laden, will therefore result in rise of other organizations, less drastic, especially since they have the favor of the Pakistani state, which the weapon and finance.

Interview by Audrey Garric

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