Hakimullah Mehsud: Difference between revisions
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'''Hakimullah (Hakim Ullah, Hakeemullah) Mehsud''' ([[Pashto]]: حکیم اللہ محسود/[[Urdu language|Urdu]]: <big>حکیم اللہ محسود</big>) (born c. [[1981]])<ref>{{cite news|author= |
'''Hakimullah (Hakim Ullah, Hakeemullah) Mehsud''' ([[Pashto]]: حکیم اللہ محسود/[[Urdu language|Urdu]]: <big>حکیم اللہ محسود</big>) (born c. [[1981]])<ref>{{cite news|author= |
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Alex Rodriguez and Zulfiqar Ali|title=Pakistani Taliban names new leader|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-taliban-leader23-2009aug23,0,7080329.story|date=August 22, 2009|publisher=The Los Angeles Times|accessdate=2009-08-22}}</ref> is the [[nom de guerre]] of Zulfiqar Mehsud,<ref name=bbcprofile>{{cite news|author= |
Alex Rodriguez and Zulfiqar Ali|title=Pakistani Taliban names new leader|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-taliban-leader23-2009aug23,0,7080329.story|date=August 22, 2009|publisher=The Los Angeles Times|accessdate=2009-08-22}}</ref> is the [[nom de guerre]] of Zulfiqar Mehsud,<ref name=bbcprofile>{{cite news|author= |
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Revision as of 19:22, 30 August 2009
Hakimullah (Hakim Ullah, Hakeemullah) Mehsud (Pashto: حکیم اللہ محسود/Urdu: حکیم اللہ محسود) (born c. 1981)[1] is the nom de guerre of Zulfiqar Mehsud,[2] the Amir of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).[3] He was deputy to commander Baitullah Mehsud and one of the leaders of the militant group Fedayeen al-Islam prior to the elder Mehsud's reported death in a CIA drone missle strike.[4][5][6] He had been the TTP's commander in the Khyber, Kurram and Orakzai agencies of Pakistan.[4] He is described as being in his late 20s and a cousin of Qari Hussain.[4] He is known to be a young and aggressive commander, who previously served as a driver and was very close to Baitullah Mehsud.[7]
Early years
Hakimullah was born in the region of Kotkai near the town of Jandola in South Waziristan. His only schooling was at a small village madrassa in Hangu District. One of the other students at the time was Baitullah Mehsud, but he dropped out.[2]
Jihad
He later joined his fellow clansman in jihad initially as bodyguard and aide to Baitullah. He had gained a reputation within the Taliban for his strong skills with the AK-47 and the Toyota pickup truck in battle. One Taliban member told a BBC correspondent that at the time Hakimullah's reputed battle skills were only second to Nek Mohammad.[2]
False reports of death
Pakistani news channels reported on August 8, 2009 that Hakimullah Mehsud was killed after shooting erupted between his camp and that of Wali-ur-Rehman during a shura to determine the successor to the slain Baitullah Mehsud. Interior Minister Rehman Malik could not confirm the death only that the fighting had occurred.[8] On August 10, a man claiming to be Hakimullah Mehsud called a Reuters reporter to declare that he and Baitullah were still alive. While the reporter was certain that the call was authentic, Pakistani officials awaited voice analysis results and stated that intercepted phone calls led to the intelligence of Hakimullah's death.[9] Wali-ur-Rehman telephoned a Reuters reporter to say that Hakimullah is alive, and would be calling soon, and that the first shura where the shooting supposedly occurred never took place.
Tehrik-e-Taliban leader
On August 22, 2009 Hakimullah Mehsud was appointed unanimously as the new leader of the Tehrik-e-Taliban by a 42-member shura.[7][10] Analysts cited by The Daily Times interpreted the appointment of the 28-year-old commander as a way to admit the death of Baitullah Mehsud although spokesmen for the group continued to vehemently deny his passing, instead saying he was ill.[10][11]
On August 25, Hakimullah and Rehman telephoned the BBC to say that Baitullah Mehsud had died on August 23, 2009 and that Hakimullah had replaced him as TTP leader.[12]
References
- ^ Alex Rodriguez and Zulfiqar Ali (August 22, 2009). "Pakistani Taliban names new leader". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-08-22.
- ^ a b c Syed Shoaib Hasan. "Profile: Hakimullah Mehsud". BBC.
- ^ Kahn, Ismail and Polgreen, Linda (August 22, 2009). "New Leader of Pakistan's Taliban Is Named, Though Officials Believe He Is Dead". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-22.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c Yusufzai, Rahimullah (2008-11-30). "Hakimullah Mehsud unveils himself to media". The News International. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Pakistan's extremists: The slide downhill". The Economist. 2009-04-08. Retrieved 2009-05-28.
- ^ "Baitullah's likely successor Hakimullah dies in Taliban infighting". Times of India. 2009-08-09. Archived from the original on 2009-08-09.
- ^ a b Associated Press (August 22, 2009). "Pakistani Taliban Choose New Chief". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-22.
- ^ "Fighting erupts between Taliban rivals". Financial Times. 2009-08-08. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
Pakistani news channels were carrying unconfirmed reports that Hakimullah Mehsud, one of the movement's most powerful commanders, had been killed at a shura, or council meeting, held to decide who would succeed slain leader Baitullah Mehsud. "The infighting was between Wali-ur-Rehman and Hakimullah Mehsud," Interior Minister Rehman Malik told Reuters. "We have information that one of them has been killed. Who was killed we will be able to say later after confirming."
- ^ Shah, Pir Zubair (2009-08-11). "U.S. Missile Kills at Least 10 in Pakistan Tribal Area". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b Khan, Hasbanullah (2009-08-23). "Hakeemullah appointed Baitullah's 'successor'". Daily Times. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
- ^ Bitani, Alamgir (August 9, 2009). "US says evidence Taliban chief dead "pretty conclusive"". Reuters. Thompson Reuters. Retrieved 2009-08-22.
- ^ "Taliban confirm commander's death". BBC News. August 25, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-25.
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