Abdullah Mehsud (Pashto: عبدالله مهسود; Urdu: عبدالله محسود; 1977 – 24 July 2007) was a Pashtun militant commander who killed himself with a hand grenade after security forces raided his dwelling in Zhob, Balochistan, Pakistan.[2] He belonged to the Mahsud tribe.
American authorities later claimed that he had originally been a prisoner in the Guantanamo bay detainment camps, who was judicially released and subsequently "returned to terrorism".
Abdullah Mehsud (Muhammad Alam Mahsud) was born in 1977 in Nano village of South Waziristan, and was a Pashtun, part of the fierce the Mehsud tribe, Saleemi Khel clan in South Waziristan which is the homeland of the Meshud tribe located in North West Pakistan. Abdullah Mehsud fought against the Northern Alliance and lost a leg to a landmine in 1996.[3]
After his release, Mehsud immediately begin rebuilding his Pakistani Taliban (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan/TTP) cadre. He commanded a force of up to 5,000 Taliban fighters. He then began initiating attacks on coalition soldiers in Afghanistan.[6]
In Waziristan, Mehsud was believed to be behind the kidnapping of two Chinese engineers from the building of the Gomal Zam Dam, which left one hostage dead during a botched rescue attempt. He was also alleged to have been behind an attack on Pakistan's Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpao that killed 31 people.[2]
Mahsud, now reputed to be a militant leader, claimed to be an office clerk and driver for the Taliban from 1996 to 1998 or 1999.[7] He consistently denied having any affiliation with al Qaida. He also claimed to have received no weapons or military training due to his handicap (an amputation resulting from when he stepped on a land mine 10 years ago). He claimed that after 11 September 2001 he was forcibly conscripted by the Taliban military.
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Former GTMO Detainee Terrorism Trends
In 2005, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced that Mehsud had been killed by ISI forces, only to later retract the statement.[8]
Mehsud was one of the first three former Guantanamo captives the BushPresidency reported had returned to the battlefield. As of July 2007, spokesmen reported that over thirty captives had returned to the battlefield, or associated with terrorists, after their release. As of July 2007, the spokesmen had named seven of those individuals.
Sikh Spectrum reported that during a telephone interview in 2004, Abdullah Mehsud promised to never surrender.[9]
Deathedit
On 24 July 2007, Mehsud was at a house with other militants in Zhob, Balochistan. A team of Pakistani law enforcement agencies conducted a raid on the house where he was staying. Mehsud killed himself by detonating a hand grenade. During the raid, several other militants were killed, Abdul Rahman Mehsud and Muhammad Azam, were captured along with a local Pakistani Taliban leader.[citation needed]
Relationship with Baitullah Mehsudedit
Abdullah Mehsud has been described as a brother of Baitullah Mehsud, a tribal leader of the Waziri Mehsud tribe.[10] Other sources merely assert that they were clansmen, or associates.[11][12][13]Islam Online reports that Baitullah suspected that Abdullah was a double agent.[14]
Defense Intelligence Agency claims he "returned to terrorism"edit
Abdullah Mahsud blew himself up to avoid capture by Pakistani forces in July 2007. According to a Pakistani government official, Mahsud directed a suicide attack in April 2007 that killed 31 people. After being transferred to Afghanistan in March 2004, Mahsud sought several media interviews and became well known for his attacks in Pakistan. In October 2004, he kidnapped two Chinese engineers and claimed responsibility for an Islamabad hotel bombing.
Referencesedit
^(PDF). October 2006. p. 36. Archived from the original(PDF) on 19 October 2021.
^ ab . Dawn. 30 April 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 24 October 2007.
^Pakistani Taliban commander Abdullah Mehsud killed during raid - The Long War Journal
^South Asia Tribune, Pakistan Army pays more than half million dollars to al-Qaeda in bizarre deal 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, 10 February 2005
^ ab(PDF). Department of Defense. 4 March 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 May 2009.
^Salman Masood (25 July 2007). "Taliban Leader Is Said to Evade Capture by Blowing Himself Up". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 October 2007.
^ Mohammad Shehzad (February 2004). . No. 19. Sikh Spectrum. Archived from the original on 15 October 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
^ . Dawn. 24 July 2007. Archived from the original on 7 October 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2008. During Mehsud's time on the run, his brother BaitUllah had taken over from him as one of the top Taliban commanders in Pakistan's tribal regions.
^ "Pakistan tribal leaders threaten to resume attacks against government". The News. 29 July 2005. Retrieved 3 March 2008. BaitUllah Mehsud, who abandoned his more well-known colleague Abdullah Mehsud to cut a peace deal with the government some months ago in return for amnesty, has warned of "terrible attacks" against the government if he and his men...
^Bill Roggio (24 July 2007). "Pakistani Taliban commander Abdullah Mehsud killed during raid". Long War Journal. Retrieved 3 March 2008. Abdullah Mehsud, born Noor Alam, was a member of the Mehsud clan in South Waziristan, and was a clansman of BaitUllah Mehsud, the most powerful commander in the tribal agency.
^ Saleem Shahid (25 July 2007). "Cornered militant blows himself up". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 3 March 2008. Security was beefed up in Zhob and on Balochistan's border with Waziristan after the killing of Abdullah Mehsud, the most important Taliban commander in the country after BaitUllah Mehsud.
^Aamir Latif (29 January 2008). . Islam Online. Archived from the original on 31 March 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
^(PDF). Defense Intelligence Agency. 13 June 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 July 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2008.
External linksedit
"WikiLeaks reveals US blunders at Guantanamo". Hindustan Times. 25 April 2011 – via AFP.
April 13, 2024
abdullah, mehsud, pashto, عبدالله, مهسود, urdu, عبدالله, محسود, 1977, july, 2007, pashtun, militant, commander, killed, himself, with, hand, grenade, after, security, forces, raided, dwelling, zhob, balochistan, pakistan, belonged, mahsud, tribe, from, most, w. Abdullah Mehsud Pashto عبدالله مهسود Urdu عبدالله محسود 1977 24 July 2007 was a Pashtun militant commander who killed himself with a hand grenade after security forces raided his dwelling in Zhob Balochistan Pakistan 2 He belonged to the Mahsud tribe Abdullah MehsudAbdullah Mehsud from his US most wanted poster Born1977 1 Nano Village South WaziristanDied 2007 07 24 24 July 2007Balochistan PakistanDetained at GuantanamoOther name s Said Mohammed Alim Shah Noor Alam birth name ISN92Alleged to bea member ofTehrik i Taliban PakistanCharge s no charge held in extrajudicial detentionStatusreleased returned to the battlefield KIAAmerican authorities later claimed that he had originally been a prisoner in the Guantanamo bay detainment camps who was judicially released and subsequently returned to terrorism Contents 1 Early life 2 Capture 3 Return to the battlefield 4 Promise to never surrender 5 Death 6 Relationship with Baitullah Mehsud 7 Defense Intelligence Agency claims he returned to terrorism 8 References 9 External linksEarly life editAbdullah Mehsud Muhammad Alam Mahsud was born in 1977 in Nano village of South Waziristan and was a Pashtun part of the fierce the Mehsud tribe Saleemi Khel clan in South Waziristan which is the homeland of the Meshud tribe located in North West Pakistan Abdullah Mehsud fought against the Northern Alliance and lost a leg to a landmine in 1996 3 Capture editDuring the opening days of Operation Enduring Freedom Mehsud fought against U S and Northern Alliance forces in Afghanistan In December 2001 he surrendered to the Uzbek warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum in the Battle of Kunduz 4 He was handed over to the U S and spent 25 months in Guantanamo Bay detention camp where he was fitted with a prosthetic limb 5 He was released by the U S and returned to South Waziristan Return to the battlefield editAfter his release Mehsud immediately begin rebuilding his Pakistani Taliban Tehrik i Taliban Pakistan TTP cadre He commanded a force of up to 5 000 Taliban fighters He then began initiating attacks on coalition soldiers in Afghanistan 6 In Waziristan Mehsud was believed to be behind the kidnapping of two Chinese engineers from the building of the Gomal Zam Dam which left one hostage dead during a botched rescue attempt He was also alleged to have been behind an attack on Pakistan s Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpao that killed 31 people 2 In March 2005 a Department of Defense document claimed 7 Mahsud now reputed to be a militant leader claimed to be an office clerk and driver for the Taliban from 1996 to 1998 or 1999 7 He consistently denied having any affiliation with al Qaida He also claimed to have received no weapons or military training due to his handicap an amputation resulting from when he stepped on a land mine 10 years ago He claimed that after 11 September 2001 he was forcibly conscripted by the Taliban military nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Former GTMO Detainee Terrorism Trends In 2005 Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced that Mehsud had been killed by ISI forces only to later retract the statement 8 Mehsud was one of the first three former Guantanamo captives the Bush Presidency reported had returned to the battlefield As of July 2007 spokesmen reported that over thirty captives had returned to the battlefield or associated with terrorists after their release As of July 2007 the spokesmen had named seven of those individuals Main article List of released Guantanamo prisoners who allegedly returned to battlePromise to never surrender editSikh Spectrum reported that during a telephone interview in 2004 Abdullah Mehsud promised to never surrender 9 Death editOn 24 July 2007 Mehsud was at a house with other militants in Zhob Balochistan A team of Pakistani law enforcement agencies conducted a raid on the house where he was staying Mehsud killed himself by detonating a hand grenade During the raid several other militants were killed Abdul Rahman Mehsud and Muhammad Azam were captured along with a local Pakistani Taliban leader citation needed Relationship with Baitullah Mehsud editAbdullah Mehsud has been described as a brother of Baitullah Mehsud a tribal leader of the Waziri Mehsud tribe 10 Other sources merely assert that they were clansmen or associates 11 12 13 Islam Online reports that Baitullah suspected that Abdullah was a double agent 14 Defense Intelligence Agency claims he returned to terrorism editThe Defense Intelligence Agency asserted Abdullah Mahsud had returned to terrorism 15 The DIA reported Abdullah Mahsud blew himself up to avoid capture by Pakistani forces in July 2007 According to a Pakistani government official Mahsud directed a suicide attack in April 2007 that killed 31 people After being transferred to Afghanistan in March 2004 Mahsud sought several media interviews and became well known for his attacks in Pakistan In October 2004 he kidnapped two Chinese engineers and claimed responsibility for an Islamabad hotel bombing References edit Wanted Abdullah Mahsud PDF October 2006 p 36 Archived from the original PDF on 19 October 2021 a b Mehsud behind attack Sherpao Dawn 30 April 2007 Archived from the original on 27 September 2007 Retrieved 24 October 2007 Pakistani Taliban commander Abdullah Mehsud killed during raid The Long War Journal South Asia Tribune Pakistan Army pays more than half million dollars to al Qaeda in bizarre deal Archived 29 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine 10 February 2005 Pakistani Officers Gitmo Detainees Abuse Guards Pakistani Taliban July 2007 Long War Journal a b JTF GTMO Information on Detainees PDF Department of Defense 4 March 2005 Archived from the original PDF on 30 May 2009 Salman Masood 25 July 2007 Taliban Leader Is Said to Evade Capture by Blowing Himself Up The New York Times Retrieved 24 October 2007 Mohammad Shehzad February 2004 I Will Never Surrender Abdullah Mehsud No 19 Sikh Spectrum Archived from the original on 15 October 2007 Retrieved 3 March 2008 Former Guantanamo inmate blows himself up in Pakistan Dawn 24 July 2007 Archived from the original on 7 October 2008 Retrieved 3 March 2008 During Mehsud s time on the run his brother BaitUllah had taken over from him as one of the top Taliban commanders in Pakistan s tribal regions Pakistan tribal leaders threaten to resume attacks against government The News 29 July 2005 Retrieved 3 March 2008 BaitUllah Mehsud who abandoned his more well known colleague Abdullah Mehsud to cut a peace deal with the government some months ago in return for amnesty has warned of terrible attacks against the government if he and his men Bill Roggio 24 July 2007 Pakistani Taliban commander Abdullah Mehsud killed during raid Long War Journal Retrieved 3 March 2008 Abdullah Mehsud born Noor Alam was a member of the Mehsud clan in South Waziristan and was a clansman of BaitUllah Mehsud the most powerful commander in the tribal agency Saleem Shahid 25 July 2007 Cornered militant blows himself up Dawn newspaper Retrieved 3 March 2008 Security was beefed up in Zhob and on Balochistan s border with Waziristan after the killing of Abdullah Mehsud the most important Taliban commander in the country after BaitUllah Mehsud Aamir Latif 29 January 2008 Pakistan s Most Wanted Islam Online Archived from the original on 31 March 2008 Retrieved 3 March 2008 Fact Sheet Former GTMO Detainee Terrorism Trends PDF Defense Intelligence Agency 13 June 2008 Archived from the original PDF on 9 July 2008 Retrieved 26 July 2008 External links edit WikiLeaks reveals US blunders at Guantanamo Hindustan Times 25 April 2011 via AFP Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Abdullah Mehsud amp oldid 1178430234, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
