Pakistan's outlawed militant organisation Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) released a rare video purportedly showing its chief Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud. The terror group released the video amid the clashes with Pakistan's military in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Chitral district that borders Afghanistan and Gilgit Baltistan region.
The video purportedly shows Mehsud instructing and encouraging TTP fighters to fight for the establishment of Sharia in Pakistan. According to reports, this is Mehsud's first appearance in a video since January.
Watch the video below
Who is Mufti Noor Wali Meshud?
Mehsud was named TTP's chief in June 2018 after the death of former TTP leader Maulana Fazlullah. Under Mehsud's leadership, TTP has claimed responsibility for several fatal terrorist attacks in Pakistan. These include an attack on Pakistani security forces in North Waziristan in July 2019 and a bomb attack against Pakistani soldiers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in August 2019.
Formed in 2007, the TTP has been designated a terrorist group by the US on September 1, 2010.
Pakistan-TTP clashes
Pakistani military and the TTP exchanged gunfire in Chitral, killing four government security personnel and 12 terrorists. The militant aims to capture Chitral.
In a statement released on Thursday saying that it carried out an "organised" and "successful" operation against the Pakistani military in the district.
"Remember that in Chitral, our thousands of militants were already established on the land of Chitral before. The start of this operation, as per the directives of the Ministry of Defense, came after strong demands from Chitral’s zealous people. In this operation, the valiant people of Chitral stand shoulder to shoulder with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan," TTP's statement read. "Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan strongly condemns this false and baseless propaganda of the State of Pakistan."
"Our sacred Jihad will continue as long as the State of Pakistan remains an aggressor against our faith, wealth, lives, and dignity, and obstructs the implementation of Shariah," TTP said.
However, the Pakistani military said it inflicted heavy casualties on the terrorists. It also added that the area was being combed to eliminate any other terrorists surviving the operation.
