Militant reveals truth behind ‘Fitna al-Khawarij’, says group exploits religion to target youth

A detained militant has confessed that extremist elements associated with Fitna al-Khawarij manipulate religion to mislead young people and incite them against the Pakistan Army, ARY News reported.

Identifying himself as Ehsanullah, son of Abdul Jinnan, belonging to the Mehsud tribe, the militant stated that he had worked for nearly three years as a facilitator for several commanders, including Commander Badri, Commander Mushtaq, Commander Grenade, and Islamuddin.

He admitted involvement in multiple attacks, including an assault on an armoured vehicle and an attack on a police station in Tator. He further revealed that several senior militant commanders push young men toward crime for their personal interests, using religious slogans as a cover.

The militant said the Khawarij elements who attempt to defame the Pakistan Army are themselves “kafir and apostate”, adding that the narrative used to recruit youth is based on deception.

According to his statement, once he came into close contact with Pakistani soldiers, he realised they were “true Muslims”. He said he personally saw army personnel offering prayers five times a day and that during his time in custody, he learned how to pray and recite the kalma, which he did not practice before.

Ehsanullah appealed to the youth to support the Pakistan Army to help eliminate terrorism, saying that communities had been devastated by the actions of these militant groups. He stressed that innocent people continue to suffer because of the violence spread by Fitna al-Khawarij.

Security forces say operations are ongoing against groups involved in spreading terror, hatred, and sectarian division in the name of religion. Officials reiterated that the forces remain committed to eliminating all militants associated with Fitna al-Khawarij from the country.

Similarly, on September 12, 2025, Abdul Samad, a militant from the Gul Bahadur group surrendered during a successful Pakistan Army operation, made startling revelations about the extremist network known as “Fitna al-Khawarij,” exposing its brutality and exploitation in the name of religion.

In his confessional statement, Abdul Samad said he spent nearly four-and-a-half years in Afghanistan, receiving training in handling Kalashnikov rifles and making improvised explosive devices (IEDs). He disclosed that he stayed with commanders Sadiq and Asad of the Gul Bahadur group and later joined Asad’s faction in Zangoti, North Waziristan. According to him, militants used mosques as hubs to manufacture IEDs, mines, and even drone bombs.