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India-Pakistan
Anti-Baitullah militant leader Turkistan Bhittani surrenders
2009-09-20
[Dawn] Anti-Baitullah militant leader Turkistan Bhittani has surrendered to the authorities in Tank along with several hundred fighters. Bhittani said that he had been requested by the government to stop fighting.

Speaking to DawnNews Turkistan Bhittani said that he had more than 5,000 armed activists fighting militancy in the area along with the security forces.

He said that the authorities had asked his group to give up their armed struggle against the Taliban and therefore the group had decided to surrender their weapons to the authorities.

Turkistan Bhittani said that more than 500 fighters had laid down their arms while other members of the group would disarm gradually.

Bhittani said that his militia had been fighting the militants and terrorists in the interest of the country. Turkistan Bhittani and the slain Qari Zainuddin had formed an alliance to fight the Baitullah Mehsud led Taliban.

Unconfirmed reports say that recently the Bhittani-led group had offered peace talks to the Baitullah-led group which was perhaps the main reason behind disarming the group.--
Posted by:Fred

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