TTP leader Mullah Fazlullah. PHOTO: FILE
MIRANSHAH: The new head of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Mullah Fazlullah has returned to the country's tribal areas, a spokesman for the militants said Tuesday, after several years based in Afghanistan.
Fazlullah was elected as leader of the TTP last month after his predecessor was killed by a US drone.
The new TTP leader has been based mainly in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan since 2009, when a military operation ended his followers' brutal two-year rule of the Swat valley.
TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said Fazlullah was now "commanding the Taliban movement at an unknown location in the tribal areas".
The TTP and other militants have strongholds in the seven semi-autonomous tribal areas along Pakistan's rugged, porous border with Afghanistan.
Shahid's comments came after some Pakistani TV channels reported that Fazlullah had reached Waziristan.
"It is not true that Maulana Fazlullah is in Waziristan, he is in the tribal areas but at unknown location," Shahid told AFP.
Then-TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud was killed by a US drone attack in North Waziristan on November 1, while South Waziristan was largely cleared of militant hideouts by a military offensive in 2009.
Washington has pushed for a similar operation in North Waziristan, currently seen as the major hub of Taliban and al Qaeda militants plotting attacks on the West and in Afghanistan.
Fazlullah, who has a $500,000 government bounty on his head, has mounted some brutal and humiliating attacks on Pakistan's military, including the beheading of 17 soldiers after an attack in June 2012.
COMMENTS (48)
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Can somebody post the coordinates of this guy please....It must be at least 6 digits after decimal
being PTI we want peace and also wish to reach him in heaven as early as possible He can. I wish our police should show way of heaven to him. Rather US drones. Or arrest him by giving more training and weapons to police this will help ultimate to strong Pakistan
@goldconsumer:
Collateral damage? the guy ran to Afghanistan for God’s sake. USA has actual military presence in Afghanistan! they could “F-18″ the guy if they had wanted to!!
A. Is this guy an enemy of Pakistan or US? If he is an enemy of the US, like the Haqqanis and Al Qaeda
B. USA is unable to 'F-18' the Haqqanis, and Al Qaeda and Quetta Shura, even though they want it.
C. Had the USA been so powerful they would not be saying goodbye in 2014.
D. This guy has been running an FM radio for as long as a DECADE in Pakistan and was ruling Swat with Government consent. Why did the Pakistan Government not 'JF-17' him?
AND, Even today he is on Pakistani 'Sovereign' territory. Do something. At least ask the Khan to have a tea party.
He will soon proceed to Swat to claim his fiefdom as a prelude to Talks.
And from Swat, Islamabad is not far away.
@Vikas, Mumbai: I was answering to those who are actually looking at the US! I however know we didnt loose 40,000 people in the war for nothing! I know what we did to him in Sawat as well. You and the rest of the world seem to forget it often till reminded. I also know that drones only operate in Pakistan and the mighty US with actual millitary presence in Afghanistan is heavily engagged in dialogues with the same mentality Taliban.
fazlullah one advice.; keep watching the skies, ull see red roses:)
Drone,O sweet drone, where art thou??
@US CENTCOM: US efforts are praiseworthy in eliminating many hard-core militants both in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Please carry on the drone attacks regardless as the same would benefit not only these two countries but the entire region for peace and stability.
To @Fayez: No he in Mansora/Punjab university lahore......... With IJT
@goldconsumer: US will drone him one day or other as soon as they know that there will be no collateral damages. However, US can drone him immediately if PML-N, PTI and the Army make an official request to US.
Imran khan must be so delighted to have him back in Pakistan. Lets plan another Jirga for these naive and pious saviours of Islam I used to admire this Khan but seriously he turns out to be another political flog.
Please Drone give him a explosive welcome , HE NEEDS IT
We stand by the government of Pakistan and fully support their efforts in countering insurgency. We share a common stance against terrorism, and we are making common sacrifices on both sides of the border in fighting terrorism. Those who pose a threat to our peace objectives in the region will be dealt with accordingly. We have come too far and made too many sacrifices to let these terrorists succeed with their dangerous agenda. Our officials continue to meet to address our shared concerns and objectives. We certainly hope to remain unified in regards to the betterment of the region. The terrorists also see our nations as a common threat to their evil mission. Therefore, it only makes sense for us to work together for the safety of the region.
Ali Khan DET, United States Central Command
He and IK are negotiating a merger of TTP and PTI.Hope a drone doesn't derail the process.
How can he just crosses into Pakistan from Afghanistan. No army check posts, no border patrol, no fencing around the border. What the army/government doing. Make check posts and man the porous border. New COAS doing anything about it... And how long can the FATA remains a no-mans land...as long as it remains so, more insurgents will make it a safe haven. Time to get full control of FATA...make it a new province or merge it into KPK.
@TTP-cide: I thought Pakistan has recently added a fleet of domestically built drones into her military...
Whereas Imran Khan is blazing all guns against the drone attacks, most Pakistanis on this forum are in favour of droning out Fazlulla, which would be really depressing for the PTI chief who is planning to hold talks with him with a hope that TTP would leave all violent activities and start playing cricket.
So this is the "pious gentleman" who is resposible for beheading 17 brave slodiers the Govt.wants to negotiate with? I wonder what PTI chairman and the new COAS has to say about this!
America, please drone him too. I can't believe the Americans have to do OUR job for us. We should be killing these terrorists on our soil ourselves.
media house has better intelligence/ liason with TTP than the government/ army.
Every day there is a press release by this spokesman. Looks like all the media knows about his location except the government :/
The next " Shaheed" of Pakistan
He would have come back to Pakistan to talk with IK and Munnawar for future course of action .
Reading all the comments above, it seems Pakistan is a colony of the US. Why is the US expected to tackle Pakistan's enemies? What are Pakistan's security forces doing, after gobbling up lion's share of the country's resources?
Another one to go#
One more drone will fly him in the heaven, but US would not do that
@goldconsumer
US is not gona drone him as long as he puts in his resources and efforts to destablize Pakistan.
Sir, what prevents Pakistan from catching/ killing him? He has attacked your Army. Why look at what US would do?
"WELCOME BACK" ...written on one of the drones waiting for him
Welcome home son!
@roadkashehzada Who's saying that there should not be any action taken against these terrorists. The point is that we have a very well equipped and highly capable military who can deal with such unwanted miscreants inside our country. Do you prefer the US government controlling or invading our airspace to get rid of these idiots? Its high time our government decides whether they want to take an action against these terrorists or whether they want US to keep controlling our internal affairs
This dude looks like a total Master Debater... If you all agree please recommend
So now TTP is claiming that he is in Pakistan, everyone believes them from heart. The point is when the same person claimed they haven't attacked Peshwar Church, no one believed him. I am sure Fazlullah is in Afghanistan and i won't be surprised if he is in government protection over there. I don't know how long it will take us to realize that our real enemies are sitting in Kabul, not New Delhi.
@Hafsa Hashmey: its ironic when terrorist fighting against state take shelter of state sovereignty.
Drone him and others...no delay please.
Another drone must be on its way, Nawaz Sharif please wake up from your honeymoon period and save your country's sovereignty
Looks like Hitler's son, just arrived back, to meet his destiny.
Say "Yes" to drones
US is not gona drone him as long as he puts in his resources and efforts to destablize Pakistan.
OK now maulana fazlullah is in pakistani territory so no more blaming Afghanistan and deal with him if u can.
One more drone please.
May be in Abbottabad, who knows
The thing we need now is a drone to root him out ...