Hakimullah Mehsud
Encyclopedia
Hakimullah Mehsud (Pashto/Urdu: حکیمالله محسود), born c. 1979 as Jamshed Mehsud (Pashto/Urdu: جمشید محسود) and also known as Zulfiqar Mehsud (Pashto/Urdu: ذو الفقار محسود), is the amir of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
(TTP). 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 death in a CIA drone missile strike.
He had been the TTP's commander in the Khyber
, Kurram and Orakzai
agencies of Pakistan
. He is described as being in his late 20s and a cousin of Qari Hussain
. He is known to be a young and aggressive field commander, who previously served as a driver and was very close to Baitullah Mehsud. Hakimullah Mehsud maintains ties to al-Qaeda
, the Afghan Taliban and various Pakistani jihadist groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba
, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi
, and Jaish-e-Mohammed
.
Reports initially indicated he was fatally wounded on January 14, 2010 by a U.S. drone attack although two videos released by the TTP in 2010 and 2011 proved that he survived the attack.
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.
, initially as his bodyguard and aide. He adopted the nom de guerre Zulfiqar, then later took the name Hakimullah, meaning one who has knowledge. He gained a reputation within the Taliban for his battle skills with the AK-47
and the Toyota pickup truck
. One Taliban member told a BBC correspondent that at the time Hakimullah's reputed skills were second only to Nek Mohammad
.
In 2004, he was made a spokesman. He organized a series of raids against U.S. military convoys between the summer of 2007 and the spring of 2008 that forced the closure of the Khyber Pass
six times. In 2008, he was given command of the Orakzai
, Khyber
and Kurram districts.
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. 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.
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.
Pakistani intelligence officials who thought that Hakimullah had perished believed that the militant's younger brother had returned from fighting in Afghanistan to assume the elder's identity in an effort to project an image of stability and cohesion amid a power struggle among TTP leadership.
On August 22, 2009 Hakimullah Mehsud was appointed unanimously as the new leader of the Tehrik-e-Taliban by a 42-member shura. 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.
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.
On September 5, 2009, Pakistan forces claimed they had captured a man who confessed to killing Hakimullah Mehsud.
On September 29, 2009, Mehsud's brother Kalimullah was reportedly killed by Pakistan security forces in North Waziristan.
On October 1, 2009, The Daily Times reported that, according to diplomatic sources, US officials also doubted Hakimullah Mehsud was still alive.
On October 4, 2009 Hakimullah met with a small group of reporters to end any speculation of his demise. He repeated his vows of revenge for the death of Baitullah Mehsud and the drone missile strikes occurring in the tribal areas. However, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik maintained doubts that it was in fact Hakimullah Mehsud in the video, but rather his look-alike brother.
50 million ($600,000) reward for information that leads to the capture or killing of Hakimullah Mehsud. They offered the same reward for similar information regarding Wali-ur-Rehman and Qari Hussain and smaller rewards for 16 other TTP militants.
in an early January 2010 video that claimed responsibility for the Camp Chapman attack
in retaliation for the death of Baitulluh Mehsud.
denied the amir had died, but did confirm that Hakimullah had been in the area. On January 16 the group released an audiotape carrying the voice of Hakimullah, who said, "Today, on the 16th of January, I am saying it again – I am alive, I am OK, I am not injured ... when the drone strike took place, I was not present in the area at that time." Subsequently rumors circulated that he had died of injuries received in the attack. On January 31, 2010, Pakistan state television reported that Mehsud was injured in the attack and died three days later of his injuries. He was allegedly buried in Orakzai Agency.
Reuters
, quoting Pakistani intelligence sources, subsequently suggested that while escaping the initial attack, he was killed in another attack on January 17. The Taliban have rejected reports about Hakimullah's death. The Long War Journal quoted an American intelligence official stating, "We've seen no evidence he was killed, nor do we hear chatter of a leadership crisis in the Taliban ranks." However, The New York Times
reported that American intelligence was 90% sure that he was dead. As of February 5, 2010, it was still unclear whether he was dead or alive.
On February 9, multiple reports, citing Taliban sources, stated that Mehsud had indeed been fatally wounded on January 14, and died en route to Karachi for medical treatment. Interior Minister Rehman Malik and an anonymous intelligence official confirmed to the Associated Press
that the militant leader had perished but provided no further details. While the Taliban did release a videotape of Mehsud on February 28, officials questioned when the tape was made, as Mehsud did not provide details on current events.
On May 3, a video of Hakimullah surfaced that was recorded in April.
In February 2011, he is seen in the execution video of Sultan Amir Tarar, better known as Col Imam. Imam was kidnapped in March 2010.
s and the TTP to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan , alternatively referred to as the Pakistani Taliban, is an umbrella organization of various Islamist militant groups based in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas along the Afghan border in Pakistan. Most, but not all, Pakistani Taliban groups coalesce under the TTP...
(TTP). He was deputy to commander Baitullah Mehsud
Baitullah Mehsud
Baitullah Mehsud was a leading militant in Waziristan, Pakistan, and the leader of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan . He formed the TTP from an alliance of about five militant groups in December 2007. He is thought by U.S...
and one of the leaders of the militant group Fedayeen al-Islam
Fedayeen al-Islam
Fedayeen al-Islam is a militant group in Pakistan under the leadership of Hakimullah Mehsud, who was a deputy to Baitullah Mehsud in the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan prior to Baitullah's death...
prior to the elder Mehsud's death in a CIA drone missile strike.
He had been the TTP's commander in the Khyber
Khyber agency
Khyber is a tribal area in the FATA region of Pakistan. It is one of the eight tribal areas, better known as agencies in Pakistan. It ranges from the Tirah valley down to Peshawar...
, Kurram and Orakzai
Orakzai Agency
Orakzai Agency is one of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. It has a population of 450,000 and an area of .- History :The Orakzai tribes take their name, which literally means the lost son , from a romantic legend about their ancestor, Sikandar Shah, who was a prince from Iran,...
agencies of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. He is described as being in his late 20s and a cousin of Qari Hussain
Qari Hussain
Qari Hussain Ahmad Mehsud was a top lieutenant in the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and the organizer of the group's suicide bombing squads. He was a cousin of Hakimullah Mehsud.- Operations :...
. He is known to be a young and aggressive field commander, who previously served as a driver and was very close to Baitullah Mehsud. Hakimullah Mehsud maintains ties to al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
, the Afghan Taliban and various Pakistani jihadist groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba
Lashkar-e-Taiba
Lashkar-e-Taiba – also transliterated as Lashkar-i-Tayyaba, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Lashkar-i-Taiba, Lashkar Taiba or LeT – is one of the largest and most active militant Islamist terrorist organizations in South Asia, operating mainly from Pakistan.It was founded by Hafiz Muhammad...
, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi is a militant organization. Formed in 1996, it has operated in Pakistan since Sipah-e-Sahaba activist Riaz Basra broke away from the SSP over differences with his seniors...
, and Jaish-e-Mohammed
Jaish-e-Mohammed
Jaish-e-Mohammed is a Pakistani-based, militant Islamic group established by Maulana Masood Azhar in March 2000...
.
Reports initially indicated he was fatally wounded on January 14, 2010 by a U.S. drone attack although two videos released by the TTP in 2010 and 2011 proved that he survived the attack.
Early years
Hakimullah was born Jamshed Mehsud in the region of Kotkai near the town of JandolaJandola
Jandola is a town in Frontier Region Tank, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan....
in South Waziristan
South Waziristan
South Waziristan is the southern part of Waziristan, a mountainous region of northwest Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . Waziristan comprises the area west and southwest of Peshawar between the Tochi River to the north and the Gomal River to the south, forming...
. His only schooling was at a small village madrassa in Hangu District
Hangu District (Pakistan)
Hangu is a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The district takes its name from the town of Hangu. The name Hangu may also sometimes be applied to the Miranzai Valley which is partly within the district, bordering the Samana Range....
. One of the other students at the time was Baitullah Mehsud, but he dropped out.
Jihad
Jamshed Mehsud joined his clansman Baitullah in jihadJihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
, initially as his bodyguard and aide. He adopted the nom de guerre Zulfiqar, then later took the name Hakimullah, meaning one who has knowledge. He gained a reputation within the Taliban for his battle skills with the AK-47
AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
and the Toyota pickup truck
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
. One Taliban member told a BBC correspondent that at the time Hakimullah's reputed skills were second only to Nek Mohammad
Nek Muhammad Wazir
Nek Muhammad Wazir was a charismatic Pashtun military leader.He was killed in a US drone strike in South Waziristan, FATA, Pakistan in June, 2004...
.
In 2004, he was made a spokesman. He organized a series of raids against U.S. military convoys between the summer of 2007 and the spring of 2008 that forced the closure of the Khyber Pass
Khyber Pass
The Khyber Pass, is a mountain pass linking Pakistan and Afghanistan.The Pass was an integral part of the ancient Silk Road. It is mentioned in the Bible as the "Pesh Habor," and it is one of the oldest known passes in the world....
six times. In 2008, he was given command of the Orakzai
Orakzai Agency
Orakzai Agency is one of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. It has a population of 450,000 and an area of .- History :The Orakzai tribes take their name, which literally means the lost son , from a romantic legend about their ancestor, Sikandar Shah, who was a prince from Iran,...
, Khyber
Khyber agency
Khyber is a tribal area in the FATA region of Pakistan. It is one of the eight tribal areas, better known as agencies in Pakistan. It ranges from the Tirah valley down to Peshawar...
and Kurram districts.
Baitullah's successor
Pakistani news channels reported on August 8, 2009 that Hakimullah Mehsud was killed after shooting erupted between his camp and that of Wali-ur-RehmanWali-ur-Rehman
Wali-ur-Rehman is a citizen of Pakistan, and a senior Taliban commander based in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas...
during a shura
Shura
Shura is an Arabic word for "consultation". The Quran and Muhammad encourage Muslims to decide their affairs in consultation with those who will be affected by that decision....
to determine the successor to the slain Baitullah Mehsud. Interior Minister Rehman Malik
Rehman Malik
27 April 2009 He has been the interior adviser since 27 March 2008.Senator A. Rehman Malik is a Pakistani politician, member of the Senate of Pakistan, and the current Interior Minister of Pakistan under the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani administration. His Second name is Shetan Malik and he...
could not confirm the death only that the fighting had occurred. 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.
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.
Pakistani intelligence officials who thought that Hakimullah had perished believed that the militant's younger brother had returned from fighting in Afghanistan to assume the elder's identity in an effort to project an image of stability and cohesion amid a power struggle among TTP leadership.
On August 22, 2009 Hakimullah Mehsud was appointed unanimously as the new leader of the Tehrik-e-Taliban by a 42-member shura. 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.
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.
On September 5, 2009, Pakistan forces claimed they had captured a man who confessed to killing Hakimullah Mehsud.
On September 29, 2009, Mehsud's brother Kalimullah was reportedly killed by Pakistan security forces in North Waziristan.
On October 1, 2009, The Daily Times reported that, according to diplomatic sources, US officials also doubted Hakimullah Mehsud was still alive.
On October 4, 2009 Hakimullah met with a small group of reporters to end any speculation of his demise. He repeated his vows of revenge for the death of Baitullah Mehsud and the drone missile strikes occurring in the tribal areas. However, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik maintained doubts that it was in fact Hakimullah Mehsud in the video, but rather his look-alike brother.
Pakistan issues bounty
On November 2, 2009 Pakistani authorities offered a RsPakistani rupee
The rupee is the currency of Pakistan. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the State Bank of Pakistan, the central bank of the country. The most commonly used symbol for the rupee is Rs, used on receipts when purchasing goods and services. In Pakistan, the rupee is referred to as the...
50 million ($600,000) reward for information that leads to the capture or killing of Hakimullah Mehsud. They offered the same reward for similar information regarding Wali-ur-Rehman and Qari Hussain and smaller rewards for 16 other TTP militants.
Camp Chapman attack
Hakimullah Mehsud appeared alongside suicide bomber Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-BalawiHumam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi
Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi according to Western intelligence officials, was a Jordanian doctor and a double agent suicide bomber loyal to Islamist extremists who carried out Camp Chapman attack, a suicide attack against a CIA base near Khost city in Afghanistan on December 30,...
in an early January 2010 video that claimed responsibility for the Camp Chapman attack
Camp Chapman attack
The Camp Chapman attack was a suicide attack against Forward Operating Base Chapman, a key facility of the Central Intelligence Agency in Afghanistan, on December 30, 2009. The base is located near the eastern Afghan city of Khost, in a stronghold of the Taliban movement...
in retaliation for the death of Baitulluh Mehsud.
January 2010 missile strikes
In the early hours of January 14, 2010, two missiles from a US drone struck a compound in the Shaktoi area, where it was believed that Hakimullah slept. Unnamed officials speculated that the militant leader was among the 18 killed in the attack, although TTP spokesman Azam TariqAzam Tariq
Maulana Azam Tariq was a co-founder of the politico-religious organisation Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan ,born in Chichawatni...
denied the amir had died, but did confirm that Hakimullah had been in the area. On January 16 the group released an audiotape carrying the voice of Hakimullah, who said, "Today, on the 16th of January, I am saying it again – I am alive, I am OK, I am not injured ... when the drone strike took place, I was not present in the area at that time." Subsequently rumors circulated that he had died of injuries received in the attack. On January 31, 2010, Pakistan state television reported that Mehsud was injured in the attack and died three days later of his injuries. He was allegedly buried in Orakzai Agency.
Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, quoting Pakistani intelligence sources, subsequently suggested that while escaping the initial attack, he was killed in another attack on January 17. The Taliban have rejected reports about Hakimullah's death. The Long War Journal quoted an American intelligence official stating, "We've seen no evidence he was killed, nor do we hear chatter of a leadership crisis in the Taliban ranks." However, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reported that American intelligence was 90% sure that he was dead. As of February 5, 2010, it was still unclear whether he was dead or alive.
On February 9, multiple reports, citing Taliban sources, stated that Mehsud had indeed been fatally wounded on January 14, and died en route to Karachi for medical treatment. Interior Minister Rehman Malik and an anonymous intelligence official confirmed to the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
that the militant leader had perished but provided no further details. While the Taliban did release a videotape of Mehsud on February 28, officials questioned when the tape was made, as Mehsud did not provide details on current events.
Alive
On April 28, 2010 Pakistani intelligence sources expressed doubts of Mehsud's demise. The sources believed that Mehsud had been seriously injured in the strike and that his authority in the TTP had been overshadowed by other figures, such as Wali-ur-Rehman.On May 3, a video of Hakimullah surfaced that was recorded in April.
In February 2011, he is seen in the execution video of Sultan Amir Tarar, better known as Col Imam. Imam was kidnapped in March 2010.
US designates Hakimullah a terrorist
On September 1, 2010 the United States added the militant leader to its list of Specially Designated Global TerroristSpecially Designated Global Terrorist
Specially Designated Global Terrorist is a designation authorized under U.S. Executive Order 13224 , among other executive orders, and Title 31, Parts 595, 596, and 597 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, among other U.S. laws and regulations. SDGT designations are administered and enforced...
s and the TTP to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.