Noor Wali Mehsud

Mufti
Abu Mansoor Asim
Noor Wali Mehsud
ابو منصور عاصم نور ولی محسود
Mehsud in 2018
4th Emir of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP)
Incumbent
Assumed office
22 June 2018[1]
Preceded byMaulana Fazlullah
Personal details
Born (1978-06-26) 26 June 1978 (age 46)[2]
Tiarza Subdivision, South Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Military service
Allegiance Afghan Taliban
(1996–1998, 2001)
Pakistani Taliban
(2003–present)
Years of service1996–1998
2001
2003–present
RankEmir of the Pakistani Taliban
Battles/wars

Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud (Pashto/Urdu: نور ولی محسود‎; born 26 June 1978), also known as Abu Mansoor Asim (ابو منصور عاصم), is a Pakistani Deobandi Islamic scholar, jihadist, cleric and jurist who is the 4th emir of the Pakistani Taliban (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP).[3][4][5][1] On 22 June 2018, Mehsud was appointed as the emir of TTP after the assassination of former emir Mullah Fazlullah in a US drone strike in Kunar, Afghanistan.[1][2]

Mehsud took power over the TTP at its weakest point since its inception, as the TTP no longer held territory in Pakistan and had been plagued by internal divisions.[6] Despite this, the TTP, since Mehsud's appointment appears to have been revitalized and has "grown deadlier."[7][8] Mehsud has essentially steered the TTP in a new direction, sparing civilians and ordering assaults only on security and law enforcement personnel, in an attempt to rehabilitate the group's image and distance them from the Islamic State – Khorasan Province (Daesh–Khorasan) militant group's extremism.[9]

The US classified Mehsud as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on 10 September 2019.[10] In July 2020, Mehsud was included on the ISIL and Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee list by the United Nations.[11]

  1. ^ a b c Ahmad, Jibran; Mehsud, Saud (23 June 2018). "Pakistani Taliban appoints new chief after previous leader killed in drone strike". reuters.com. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Pakistani Taliban appoints new chief after Mullah Fazlullah's death in recent US drone strike". firstpost.com. 24 June 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Pakistani Taliban leader reacts to Afghan gains after US withdrawal was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Taliban victory in Afghanistan is victory of entire Muslims: TTP leader". Khaama Press. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Pak's TTP maintains ties with Taliban as its 6,000 terrorists still in Afghanistan: UN report". ANI. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud becomes Pakistani Taliban leader". trtworld.com. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  7. ^ "U.S. designates Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Noor Wali Mehsud as global terrorist". The Hindu. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  8. ^ Zahid, Farhan. "TTP's Future Under the Leadership of New Emir Noor Wali Mehsud". jamestown.org. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Islamabad bids to quell rise in Pakistani Taliban attacks". France 24. 15 November 2021.
  10. ^ Jha, Nikhil (18 September 2019). "US designates Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud 'Specially Designated Global Terrorist': Who is he?". timesnownews.com. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  11. ^ "Noor Wali Mehsud". United Nations.