(For more on Pakistan, click on [ID:nAFPAK])
By Zeeshan Haider
ISLAMABAD, Aug 28 (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed 22 Pakistani border guards on Thursday at the main border crossing into Afghanistan at the western end of the Khyber Pass. [nLR235818]
The bombing at the Torkham border post was the first big attack in Pakistan since the death of Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud in a missile strike by a CIA-operated pilotless drone on Aug. 5.
The attack has raised fears that the Pakistani Taliban, who officials say have been in disarray since Mehsud's death, are hitting back.
Following are some questions and answers on the Pakistani Taliban:
ARE MILITANTS AS UNITED AS UNDER MEHSUD?
The attack in Torkham took place two days after the Taliban had confirmed Mehsud's death, after weeks of denials, and announced the appointment of Hakimullah Mehsud, a senior aide to Mehsud, as his successor.
The Taliban apparently wanted to send a message through the Torkham bombing that they were back in business after resolving the leadership question, analysts say.
While a Pakistani Taliban alliance of factions remains a serious threat to Pakistan, it remains to be seen whether it will be as strong and united as it was under Baitullah Mehsud.
Intelligence officials say Hakimullah and another senior aide to Baitullah, Wali-ur-Rehman, had serious differences over who should become overall commander and the Afghan Taliban helped them reach a settlement. Under the deal, Rehman will lead militants in South Waziristan, Mehsud's headquarters where most Taliban are based. But officials say the militants could splinter at any time.
WHY DID THE MILITANTS ATTACK IN KHYBER?
The Khyber Pass is the main route for a large amount of supplies for Western forces in landlocked Afghanistan, including much of their fuel. It has been a Hakimullah stronghold and early this year his men stepped up attacks on convoys trucking supplies through the region, forcing the United States and its allies to look for new routes into Afghanistan.
Security officials have been saying they were expecting reprisal attacks by Hakimullah's men and Thursday's blast in their stronghold appeared to be a demonstration they can strike at will in one of the most sensitive areas in the northwest.
WILL PAKISTANI TALIBAN SHIFT FOCUS TO AFGHANISTAN?
Western governments with forces in Afghanistan are watching to see if Hakimullah will shift the focus from fighting the Pakistani government to supporting the Afghan insurgency. "There are no signs of that as yet," a Pakistani intelligence official said. "He has yet to take over full command of the movement. He's in a state of transition and he will need time if he wants to make this shift." However, the official and security analysts say, like Mehsud, Hakimullah would continue to maintain close links with al Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban.
If Hakimullah maintains or intensifies his attacks in Pakistan, Pakistani security forces will have to keep their focus squarely on him, delaying action the United States wants to see against Afghan Taliban factions based in lawless ethnic Pashtun lands on the Pakistani side of the border. (Editing by Robert Birsel)
'''Zamachowiec-samobójca wysadził się wczoraj w okolicach przejścia granicznego z Afganistanem na drodze w Przełęczy Chajberskiej. W wyniku ataku zginęło 22 strażników granicznych. Tymczasem Ajman az-Zawahiri wzywa do dżihadu w Pakistanie.'''

Do pierwszej tak poważnej eksplozji od śmierci czasu śmierci Mehsuda doszło niedaleko posterunku granicznego w mieście Torkham. Jest to zarazem kontynuacja terroru w Pakistanie po śmierci Baitullaha Mehsuda i obraniu jego następcy Hakimullaha.

Talibowie nową serią ataków chcą pokazać, że nie składają broni po śmierci założyciela ugrupowania Tehirk-e-Taliban. Postać nr 2 w Al-Kaidzie wezwała Pakistańczyków do dżihadu i walki przeciwko USA.

Trasa w Chajber jest główną drogą zaopatrzeniową NATO z pakistańskiego Peszawaru do Afganistanu.