Intv with commander of militia who says his forces are fighting Taliban

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• published: 23 Jul 2015
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SHOTLIST 1. Wide of road near Dera Ismail Khan market 2. Mid of police car and security officer 3. Security officials 4. Wide of road and market 5. Various of Pakistani troops at Dera Ismail Khan army HQ 6. Set up shot of Baz Mohammed, a top commander from the Abdullah Mehsud militia, surrounded by armed militants 7. Mid of journalists and armed militants 8. SOUNDBITE: (Pashto) Baz Mohammed, a top commander from the Abdullah Mehsud militia: "Anywhere when anyone tries to occupy an area, and to forcefully impose his law and the people do not recognise him, he is forced to get himself recognised, he uses oppression, like Baitullah did. People were not recognising him, people did not like him ruling their area but he was forcefully ruling that area and slaughtering people. As I said earlier we are against oppressors and we are with the oppressed people. Allah wants us and this is our duty to rise against oppression no matter who it is and no matter where it is." 9. Various of militants 10. Various of militants on street STORYLINE: A top commander from a militia that has been battling the Pakistani Taliban said that it was their "duty to rise against oppression no matter who it is and no matter where it is." Baz Mohammed, from the Abdullah Mehsud militia, also commented on the Pakistani Taliban's former chief, Baitullah Mehsud, who was killed in a CIA missile strike last month. "He was forcefully ruling that area and slaughtering people," said Mohammed, flanked by heavily armed fighters. Fighters from the Abdullah Mehsud militia spoke from their headquarters in Dera Ismail Khan, just outside the Taliban stronghold of Waziristan. On the banks of the River Indus, the town has a large police and military presence. Abdullah Mehsud, who was killed by security forces two years ago, and Baitullah are not related. They come from different subtribes of the Mehsud, the major clan in Waziristan. The Abdullah Mehsud militia operate openly in the city, travelling the streets in battered pickups and keep a makeshift prison in their headquarters, located in a side street about half a mile (one kilometre) from the town centre. They claim to have killed or executed 70 of Baitullah's men over the last year. Some observers believe that certain militia groups on the border of Pakistan's lawless tribal regions have become important planks in the government's campaign against the Pakistani Taliban following the death of Mehshud. Critics say these tactics risk backfiring as there is danger that they may unintentionally help them to link with other militias. Observers say there is little doubt the militias have received or continue to receive support from security agencies, either cash, weapons or logistics. In August, army gunships were deployed to repel a Pakistani Taliban attack on the stronghold of Bhitani, intelligence officers said at the time. The United States, which gives (m) millions of US dollars in civilian and military aid to Pakistan each year, will be particularly concerned with the militia in Dera Ismail Khan because it still espouses militant Islam. A Pakistani Army spokesman denied the military had any links with the Abdullah militia, referring questions to the civil administration in the area, whose officials did not make themselves available for telephone interviews. Still, the spokesman acknowledged that the fighters were useful in the battle against the Pakistani Taliban, which has carried out scores of attacks across the country. Rooting out deeply entrenched militants from the border regions is a massive task for Pakistan's stretched military, which has tried and failed to defeat the insurgents in Waziristan before. =============== Clients are reminded: You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/a9b535500dd343ef715848625229e5c6 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork