The head of the Pakistani Taliban today asked the government and military to surrender to "Allah's writ" and vowed to continue fighting until Islamic law was enforced in the country, as the group faces bloody infighting that hampered the peace talks.
"Our jihad will continue until sharia is enforced or we embrace martyrdom," Maulana Fazlullah said in a video released by the Tehreek-e-Taliban's media wing.
He asked would-be militants to make contact with commanders.
"All fidayeen (suicide bombers) should be ready to face the guns and tanks of the devil forces," he told them.
"We have accepted the writ and power of Allah, and the Pakistan army, intelligence agencies and government will have to accept Allah's writ," said Fazlullah, who became TTP chief on Hakimullah Mehsud's death.
The video surfaced at a critical time when Taliban are facing infighting in the powerful Mehsud tribe that supplies the bulk of the Pakistani Taliban fighters.
The factional fighting has complicated attempts by the Pakistani government to end the insurgency through peace talks it proposed in February. Some commanders are in favor of talks but others vowed to continue their insurgency.
Fazlullah is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan provinces of Kunar and Nuristan which touch Pakistan's Bajaur and Chitral areas.
He escaped from Swat in 2009 after defeat at the hands of Pakistan army after a bloody conflict.
Fazlullah's efforts to control the infighting suffered a setback when the central Shura rejected one his key appointments in South Waziristan, Taliban sources said on Monday.
Last week, he replaced Khan Sajna in the district after weeks of bloody fighting. But not only Sjna but also the central Shura rejected the replacement, what seems to be the most formidable challenge to his authority since appointment as rebel boss last year after his predecessor Hakimullah was killed in drone attack.
