Police in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have reported that members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are using the video game PUBG for internal communications and planning their attacks.
According to a police officer, the group had previously relied mostly on WhatsApp for communication.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, in the province bordering Afghanistan, stated that five members of the TTP were arrested for using PUBG to send messages coordinating their operations.
Zahidullah, a Swat police officer, told Turkey’s TRT network, “This is the first time I’ve encountered this. Normally, they used WhatsApp, but now they’ve found new ways to exchange messages.”
These five militants, aged between 18 and 20, were accused of attacking a police station in Swat on August 28, which resulted in the death of a police officer. The police used security cameras to track them down.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies reported that in 2023, more than 600 people, including security personnel and civilians, were killed in 423 attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the TTP is most active.
Zahidullah added, “I am not very familiar with PUBG, but it seems to be popular among young people, and they can create chat groups to communicate through it.”
For years, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan has been targeting military and government objectives in Pakistan. Islamabad has accused the Afghan Taliban of sheltering these militants and allowing them to cross the Durand Line, accusations the Afghan Taliban have denied.
The use of technology by militant groups like the TTP is evolving, making it difficult for authorities to trace and prevent attacks. PUBG, a popular online game, has become a tool for these militants, highlighting the challenge of controlling digital communication.
This trend raises concerns about the increasing use of unconventional platforms for regional militant coordination.
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