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Omar Khalid [center], from a propaganda video released in 2012. Image from the SITE Intelligence Group. |
An influential commander in the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan has issued a statement claiming that the group executed 23 Frontier Corps troops in retaliation for the death of jihadists by security forces.
The statement was sent to The Long War Journal yesterday by Omar Khurasani, the spokesman for the similarly named Omar Khalid al Khurasani, the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan’s emir for the Mohmand tribal agency. The Mohmand Taliban leader signed the document.
In the statement, Omar Khalid said the Pakistani government and security forces are continuing to target Taliban fighters and are also executing jihadists currently in custody.
The Mohmand Taliban branch has not released evidence of the execution of the 23 Frontier Corps troops, who were captured in 2010 during Taliban raids on security outposts in the region. In the past, the Pakistani Taliban have released videotapes of brutal mass executions of captured Pakistani soldiers, Frontier Corps troops, and policemen.
Omar Khalid claimed that his forces executed the troops because the Taliban are currently in negotiations with the government. He is said to oppose negotiations, which have been approved by Mullah Fazlullah, the emir of the group.
The Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan has been engaged in open warfare as well as terror attacks and assassinations in Pakistan’s cities. Omar Khalid is a known hardliner in the organization, which itself is one of the more radical jihadist groups in the country.
Omar Khalid is a dangerous commander who maintains close ties to al Qaeda and is believed to have given sanctuary to Ayman al Zawahiri in the past. He also was close to slain al Qaeda emir Osama bin Laden. His fighters come from Pakistan as well as Chechnya, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and various Arab nations [for more information on Omar Khalid al Khurasani, see LWJ report, Taliban commander wants Pakistan’s nukes, global Islamic caliphate]. Khalid is closely allied with Qari Zia Rahman, a dual-hatted Taliban and al Qaeda commander who operates in northeastern Afghanistan. Both men have deployed female suicide bombers. [See Threat Matrix report, Female suicide bomber kills 4 outside Pakistani hospital.]
The announcement of the executions comes at a time when other jihadists in Pakistan are bristling at negotiations with the government. A group of jihadists recently split from the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan and formed Ahrar-ul-Hind. Although the group said it is still “brothers” with the Taliban, it vowed to continue to conduct attacks inside Pakistan’s cities and said it would not abide by any peace agreement. [See LWJ report, Pakistani jihadists form Ahrar-ul-Hind, vow to continue attacks.]
7 Comments
Yes I interviewed Mohmand chapter about state torture, killings in police stations, prisons, which is not uncommon… read DHR and Long March testimonies… In fact I noted their warnings that they would take retaliation and wrote a letter on 13th January 2014 asking politicians to address these human rights issues, which of course they haven’t, no response and now 23 men have been killed. Viewed 2 videos released, one of TTP giving statement and another of FC men alive and received letter stating their killing… So sad that no one listened as TTP did allow me time as a human rights activist… but no reply as expected, no one cares for those in custody! I will publish this letter soon…
You murderers will be dealt with, so brag now because, your time will come sooner than you think. I guarantee it.
Is that a women to his right in the photo?
I realise that would be unusual, but that was my first impression.
It would be interesting what would happen in Pakistan after NATO leaves Afghanistan at the end of the year. My bet it’s going to get worse for Pakistan, with the Pakistani Taliban controlling vast amounts of areas between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It will be like Pakistan’s ISIS, where ISIS controls parts of Syria and Iraq.
Birbal…
It could devolve into Pashtunistan erupting between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
On current trends, that eventuality would appear to be a ‘lock.’
The ISI has ONLY been able to maintain ‘hand’ by vectoring American funding to the opfor.
That budget is surely being zeroed out. Long before December, the ISAF will have, de facto, departed.
For a number of reasons, I suspect that the departure is already in high gear. Our allies are almost certainly going to be the first out the door.
The troubles in Ukraine make all ISAF members pine for the exits. No-one wants to be around when Iran goes atomic.
The USN will most likely be tasked with holding the fort. Trips back into the Gulf would be most unwise. Each trip puts the task force out of range of the ISAF — and to no purpose.
As for the Pastuns, they’re headed into a horrific economic depression. Blowing up the infrastructure was all fun and games when the West rebuilt it. From here on, there will be nothing. All of the NGOs are bailing out.
Utter barbarity is only ten-months away.
Yet the drone war may not stop. They can be launched from CVs. They have such range that one can not discount extra-territorial bases.
Which means that Omar may never rest easy.
Big Z will have to stay in his cave.
And Islamabad will likely go the way of Caracas.
Birbal,
NATO is not departing from Afghanistan at the end of the year. NATO ISAF personnel will likely dissolve back into the immediate command of their participating countries, respectfully. The objective of NATO involvement in Afghanistan is to continually provide enabling factors to the ANSF; these enabling factors are a direct result of the Enduring Partnership agreement. I cannot recall the specific year it was signed, but the agreement mandated a lengthy, long-term framework.
Blert,
Ukraine’s current domestic strife and civil unrest is largely a tragic consequence of governmental corruption. The absence of effective law enforcement oversight has allowed for some time the rampant brutalization of citizens by the police. Either way, I can’t see contributing NATO-ISAF countries “returning to base” because of pro-European Union opposition fears. How many NATO-ISAF see themselves as potential Russian economic dependents?
On topic, it’s frightening apparent that the Pakistani Frontier Corps requires immediate reconstruction. This isn’t the first time a mass group of Pakistani security forces have been executed by TTP tangos. Someone desperately needs to give those dudes better training.
These criminal terrorists are dogs of hell. Pakistan Army will deal with them soon.
Gen. Loyd of CENTCOM met Gen. Raheel yesterday https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=708794605817815
Matters of support to these terrorists from Afghanistan Intelligence and Indian RAW were discussed.
TTP is backed by Afghan Intel and Indian’s RAW. Their chickens will come home to roast if ISAF forces leave.
My hope is that ISAF stays. And US and Pakistan Armed forces resolve their differences and come together to kill these bastards.