US welcomes UN decision to add TTP leader to sanctions list

US domestically designated Noor Wali as a terrorist in Sept 2019

NEW YORK:

The United States on Friday welcomed the decision by the United Nations (UN) to add Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Chief Noor Wali Mehsud to its Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Al Qaida (AQ) sanctions list.

In a tweet, the US State Department said TTP is responsible for many deadly terrorist attacks in Pakistan, adding that the United States had domestically designated Noor Wali as a terrorist in September 2019.

Welcome news that the @UN has added Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan leader Noor Wali Mehsud to its ISIL & AQ sanctions list. TTP is responsible for many deadly terrorist attacks in Pakistan. The United States domestically designated Noor Wali as a terrorist in September 2019.

— State_SCA (@State_SCA) July 16, 2020

Washington designated the TTP chief as a global terrorist in September and imposed sanctions on multiple "terrorists and their supporters".

Mehsud took over the TTP in June 2018 following the death of Mullah Fazlullah in Afghanistan.

President Donald Trump had signed an executive order "modernising and strengthening sanctions authorities to combat terrorism", said a press statement by the US State Department. The order was signed on the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

"Noor Wali, also known as Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, was named the leader of Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in June 2018 following the death of former TTP leader Mullah Fazlullah," said the US State Dept statement. "Under Noor Wali’s leadership, TTP has claimed responsibility for numerous deadly terrorist attacks across Pakistan".

The TTP chief is among 12 Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) leaders of previously designated groups including TTP, Hizbullah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Islamic State (IS), IS-Philippines, ISIS-West Africa and an al Qaeda affiliated group fighting in Syria.