Ashok Kumar Behuria replies: Disparate Taliban (plural) groups, operating inside Pakistan, came together towards the close of 2007 to form Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
TTP is a radical conglomerate, wedded to the idea of bringing Sharia rule to Pakistan. They are close to the Haqqani group, an important constituent of the Afghan Taliban. Haqqanis are known to be ideologically intolerant and Wahabi in their outlook.
Deciphering Russia’s Afghan Policy
Maintaining security and stability in Central Asia seems to be a key pillar of Russia’s Afghan calculus. By positioning itself as an interlocutor of the Taliban, Russia aims to project itself as an indispensable pole in resolving global and regional issues.