TTP seizes ground in Bannu, other areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as Pakistan’s control crumbles

Pakistan’s fight against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) appears to be slipping further out of control, with militants now openly displaying heavy weapons and operating checkpoints along the Bannu–Waziristan axis, CNN-News18 has reported, citing sources. Videos circulating on local and social media platforms show TTP fighters halting vehicles, inspecting identity documents, and boasting of new arms consignments. In one clip, commanders can be heard claiming their group is ready to “continue attacks on security forces,” underscoring how emboldened the outfit has become inside Pakistani territory.

If authenticated, these developments expose a dangerous erosion of state control in Pakistan’s tribal belt and across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Analysts told CNN-News18 that since the Taliban