Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Noor Wali Mehsud has resurfaced, directly challenging Pakistan’s military claims of his demise. Islamabad had asserted that Mehsud was killed in a Kabul blast on October 9, a narrative now thoroughly dismantled by a newly released video. The TTP leader, very much alive, is accusing the Pakistan Army of orchestrating a widespread disinformation campaign.
Speaking from an undisclosed location within Pakistan, Mehsud alleged that the Pakistani military deliberately propagated false information about his death. He stated this was a calculated propaganda effort aimed at deceiving both the Pakistani populace and the international community, creating a false impression of progress in the fight against terrorism. Mehsud further claimed to possess visual evidence demonstrating the TTP’s significant territorial control within Pakistan.
Noor Wali Mehsud took the helm of the TTP in 2018, following the elimination of his predecessors in U.S. drone strikes. Under his command, the terror group has been revitalized, with splinter factions reunited and the insurgency reignited. This resurgence has led to a marked increase in terror attacks throughout Pakistan, particularly in the northwestern tribal regions adjacent to Afghanistan. The TTP’s intensified assaults on both military and civilian targets under Mehsud’s leadership evoke memories of the devastating 2014 Peshawar school massacre.
This incident further highlights Pakistan’s ongoing struggles with terrorism on its own soil, contradicting its claims of combating the menace. Analysts point out that Mehsud’s reappearance underscores the state’s perceived hypocrisy in allegedly sheltering and sponsoring terrorism internationally, while simultaneously attempting to project an image of control domestically. Pakistan has also continued its unsubstantiated accusations against India regarding support for the TTP, claims New Delhi has consistently refuted.
The TTP leader’s reappearance follows a period of heightened border tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. These clashes escalated after Pakistan conducted airstrikes on October 9 in Kabul, Khost, and Jalalabad, reportedly targeting Mehsud. In response, Afghan Taliban forces launched coordinated attacks on Pakistani border posts between October 11 and 12, capturing several positions before Pakistani forces retaliated with drone strikes in Kandahar and Helmand, resulting in numerous casualties.