Mahsud (, also spelled Masood, Mahsood, Masud, Maseed or Mehsud (in Pashto) is a Pashtun tribe in South Waziristan, a tribal region in Pakistan. The tribe lives in the centre of South Waziristan valley, surrounded on three sides by the Darwesh Waziris, and being shut off by the Bhittanis on the east from the Derajat and Bannu districts. Two Pashtun tribes, Ahmadzai Wazir and Mahsud, inhabit and dominate South Waziristan. Mahsud is the second largest tribe of South Waziristan after Wazir. Within the heart of Mahsud (Masood) territory in South Waziristan lies the influential Burki (also known as Barak/Baraki/Urmar) tribe's stronghold of Kaniguram. The Burki are considered by other tribes/khels of South Waziristan to be close brethren of the Mahsud due to marital and other ties and the fact that the Burki have lived in and controlled Kaniguram for over a thousand years. Some Mahsuds (Masoods) live in Afghanistan, in particular in Loogar, Wardak, Ghazni, Kunduz, and Baghlan provinces, as well as in Germany and Great Britain.

The Mahsud (Masood) usually pronounce their name "Maseed." They are divided into three great clans or subtribes, namely Manzai, Bahlolzai, and Shaman Khel. Mahsuds (Masoods) usually call these Dre Maseed, meaning the Three Mahsuds. Each tribe has his own Khan.

In the words of Sir Olaf Caroe, who acted as the former governor of the British Indian Frontier, "The Mahsud tribe are a people who can never even think of submitting to a foreign power." From 1860 to 1937, the English forces repeatedly attacked Mahsud positions, but never got a foothold in the area.

Primary locations

The Mehsud tribe inhabits a large portion of the center of Waziristan, which is drained by the Tank Zam and Shahur Rivers. The Mehsud territory is a rough triangle between Jandola, the hills north of Razmak, and from Shuidar to Janimela, north of Wana. No portion of their territory touches the “settled” districts, and the tribe is surrounded on the north and west by the Wazirs, on the east by the Bhittanis, and on the south by the Wazirs and Shranis.

With the exception of a few Shabi Khel in the Bannu District, some land near Gumal in the Tank Tehsil, and the colonies at Chark and elsewhere in the Logar Valley in Afghanistan, none of the Mehsuds own land outside of South Waziristan Agency. To escape the severe cold in the higher hills during the winter, a large number move down to the lower valleys but always keep within the Mehsud territorial limits. Many of these people live in caves or tents.

Although the majority of Mehsuds live in Waziristan, there are a few colonies at the villages of Chark and Mokhand, and elsewhere in the Logar Valley in Afghanistan. There are also groups of Mehsuds near Gumal and Tank, and in Landidak in Bannu.

“South Waziristan is mountainous with several high peaks; Pirghal, for example, being 11,600 feet. The Gomal is the main river, in addition to which there are many hill torrents, which…remain dry for most of the year.”

The mountains and valleys geographically isolate the Mehsuds from large scale movements of invaders and provide excellent opportunities to conduct effective ambushes on enemies.

The cave villages along the Shahur River near Barwand and along the Split Toi provide excellent hiding places and defensive positions.

Migratory Patterns

Many Mehsuds inhabit in the lower valleys during the winter. They return to family compounds at higher elevations during the summer.

Key Terrain Features

Valleys

Baddar, Darra Algad, Khaisara, Mastang, Shaktu, Sheranna, Split Toi, Tak Zam Plains: Razmak Mountains: Pre Ghal, Spinghar, Spinkamar Rivers: Tak Zam, Gumal, Shahur, Shinkai Toi, Baddar Toi, Split Toi, Lower Khaisara Toi, Tauda China torwam

Climate

The climate in the region is hot in summer, with high temperatures around 110 degrees Fahrenheit, and cool in winter, with low temperatures around 35 degrees Fahrenheit. There is modest rainfall in July and August and in January and February.

MAJOR TOWNS: Kaniguran Makin

History

In 1850, Lewat's tribesmen the Great Baromi's (Shabi Khel) defeated 3,000 British troops with only 300 fighters, using guerrilla tactics by attacking the British in the Valley of Bobar (Waziristan) from all sides with outdated rifles and swords. This attack demoralized the British and made them fearful of the Mehsuds. Survivors of this attack reported that the sight of the Mehsud tribesmen charging at them (with loud roars and wearing long hair and beards) affected them mentally.

In 1860, three thousand Mahsud (Masood) tribesmen attacked the British regiment base in Tank (present South Waziristan). The British struggled to defeat them.

In 1897, Mujahed tribesmen again stood up against the British all the way from Chitral to Quetta kakar, and the British experienced difficulty when engaging them. It was during this time that the name of Mullah Powindah emerged. ''Powindah'' comes from the Pashto language, meaning "nomad".

Day after day, Mullah Powindah grew more popular and famous. He emerged as a legendary figure among the people of the region and beyond. There was even a time the British considered him to be the sole leader of the Waziristan country. His followers would sporadically kill individual British officers. However, the British were not able to capture the attackers, who would return to their mountain hideouts. All attempts to stop these attacks were unsuccessful.

In 1907, the Wazir and Mahsud (Masood) tribesmen were blocked from entry into any government-controlled territory. Economic sanctions were imposed, blocking even basic amenities, such as food and medicine. The British commander of that time blockaded the areas of Makin and Kaniguram. Various areas were searched to arrest Mullah Powindah without success. The British thought that the tribesmen were receiving weapons by sea, from the coast of Balochistan and responded by creating check posts, but no weapons were confiscated.

Mullah Powindah died in 1913. It could be said that he was the crownless emperor of one of the most fiercesome of the Pashtun Tribes, the Mahsuds. Upon his death, his son Shah Fazal Din was given leadership and his son-in-law, Mulla Abdul Hakeem kakar, was appointed his adviser.

When World War I started in 1915, the British were concerned that they would be engaged in battle on more than one front. This was a threat to their safety and economy, so they decided to close those fronts of lesser significance. They abandoned their ‘Forward Policy’ for the time being and sent a message of friendship and peace to the tribes. The tribes did not trust the British, and rejected these peace proposals. Instead, the Mahsuds assembled a militia to attack the British.

By this time, the British had established an air force in the subcontinent, which was used to harass the tribesmen, and as a result the tribe's hatred of the British increased. As a result of their suffering they were bent upon taking revenge, and hence their morale increased. A series of attacks were made by the Mahsuds, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. The attack on the Marhatta Regiment resulted in the deaths of hundreds of sepoys and five British Officers. In the attack on the Punjab Regiment, the Mahsud warriors slaughtered everyone. The aerial bombardments had inflicted significant losses on the tribesmen, but they were content that they were also doing well and had killed around 250 of the enemy forces.

After the end of World War I, the British returned to Waziristan. This time, they built roads and forts throughout the land. The sophistication and constant patrols of the British Air Force helped create a secure atmosphere for their ground troops. With this sense of security, the British Army constructed a road from Jandola to Ladha. At Razmak, they constructed a cantonment for their army officers and soldiers.

By 1922-23, all the British forces had moved from Wana to Razmak. They had constructed an airport there and instead of flying all the way from India, their aircraft would fly from Razmak Airport and bomb the countryside. Because of this, the countryside of Makin was totally devastated. The Mahsuds deemed it appropriate at this time to agree to a ceasefire because this new British tactic was inflicting widespread losses on their side. The ceasefire, they imagined, would also enable them to devise a strategy for countering the latest British advances.

In 1925, the Royal Air Force successfully put down a Mahsud rebellion by strafing the tribes' mountain strongholds. The action, which came to be known as Pink's War led to the tribal leaders seeking peace terms.

In 1927 Ghazi Ramzan Khan Shaman Khel attacked Wana camp with a huge lashkar (tribal militia). The result was a big loss for the British army. In 1928 Ghazi Ramzan Khan re-assembled his lashkar again for his next attack, on Sararogha Fort. This time he attacked with a powerful force, killed all of the defending soldiers (numbering 300) and took hold of the Fort.

Recent history

Historically, the Wazirs and Mahsuds have always looked toward Afghanistan and throughout the British Colonial period, they supported Afghan kings in their wars against the British. On many occasions the Afghan throne was saved with the help of the Mahsud(like general Ramzan Khan Masud Shaman khil etc.), Burki/Baraki, and Wazirs from Wazirstan. Of those who fought during this time, most came back to their homeland, but those who stayed were given high ranks of office, such as Faiz Muhammad Mahsud, who was appointed as a interior minister during the Rein of Daud Khan in 1970s. Today the majority of Mahsuds are still in Logar Province, with the title of Waziri, but by caste, they are Mahsuds. The majority of these are Manzai with a sub-caste of Dramankel, Faridi, etc. When the Soviet-Afghan War started, some of these families came back to Wazirstan but could not stay there, so they moved to cities like Peshawar and Karachi.

They are poor but brave… and although turbulent and difficult to deal with, still have a great love of their country and cherish their independence, possessing qualities that we admire ourselves, and which deserve consideration and respect.

Mahsud are very good marksmen and have the reputation of trustworthiness. Mahsud is the most independent of all the tribes. Even their own maliks have a very limited control over them. However, Mahsuds have been increasingly integrated with the Pakistani society since independence.

John Ayde describes the Mahsud:

After Pakistan came into existence, many social, economic and demographic changes have occurred in Waziristan. A large number of Mahsuds have joined mainstream Pakistani society. When the Hindu traders of Tank left after the Partition of India in 1947, most of their shops were taken over by Mahsuds. Now Mahsuds are employed in the militia and regular army, state bureaucracy, and involved in business all around the country. Many of them are now living far away from their native lands.

Lashkar invasion of Kashmir

Immediately after Pakistan came into existence,, Mahsuds raised a tribal lashkar which entered Kashmir to help the newly created state Pakistan to capture Kashmir. They quickly reached Baramulla town, the gateway to the Kashmir valley, but indulged in loot, arson, rape and murder at Baramulla for several days forgetting that they had to reach the capital, Srinagar, to seize Kashmir completely.

Charles Chevenix Trench writes in his 'The Frontier Scouts' (1985):

In October 1947... from all over the Frontier tribal lashkars hastened in lorries - undoubtedly with official logistic support - into Kashmir. Scouts were instructed to see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing and do nothing in this matter, although at least one British Officer, Harvey-Kelly of the SWS, took part in the campaign. It seemed that nothing could stop these hordes of tribesmen taking Srinagar with its vital airfield. Indeed nothing did, but their own greed. The Mahsuds in particular stopped to loot, rape and murder; Indian troops were flown in and the lashkars pushed out of the Vale of Kashmir into the mountains. The Mahsuds returned home in a savage mood, having muffed an easy chance, lost the loot of Srinagar and made fools of themselves.

A large number of tribals from Pakistan attacked Kashmir under the code name "Operation Gulmarg" to seize Kashmir. The invading tribals started moving along Rawalpindi-Murree-Muzaffarabad-Baramulla Road on 22 October 1947 with Pakistani army men in plain clothes. Muzaffarabad fell on 24 October 1947. They reached and captured Baramulla on 25 October. There they stayed for several days looting, raping, killing, burning, plundering and desecrating and vandalising shrines and temples instead of moving on to Srinagar 50 km away and capture its airfield which was not defended at all. The raped and killed European nuns (only one survived) at Baramulla's St. Joseph convent and Christian nurses at the missionary hospital. This savage orgy of loot, rape, murder and abduction of girls continued for several days. Baramulla suffered this savage orgy but saved the rest of Kashmir because the airplanes carrying the Indian troops airlifted from Delhi on the morning of 27 October could land at Srinagar airfield as the invaders were still at Baramulla.

Biju Patnaik (who later became Chief Minister of Orissa) piloted the first plane to land at Srinagar airport that morning. He brought 17 soldiers of 1-Sikh regiment commanded by Lt.Col. Dewan Ranjit Rai. "...The pilot flew low on the airstrip twice to ensure that no raiders were around... Instructions from PM Nehru’s office were clear: If the airport was taken over by the enemy, you are not to land. Taking a full circle the DC-3 flew ground level. Anxious eye-balls peered from inside the aircraft – only to find the airstrip empty. Nary a soul was in sight. The raiders were busy distributing the war booty amongst them in Baramulla."

In the words of Gen Mohammad Akbar Khan (Brigadier-in-Charge, Pakistan, in his book "War for Kashmir in 1947"): "The uncouth raiders delayed in Baramulla for two (whole) days for some unknown reason."

It took two weeks for the Indian army to evict the raiders, who had been joined by Pakistani regular troops and became well-entrenched, from Baramulla.

Prominent Mahsud

. Mullah Powindah|Mullah Powindah Mahsud

. Musa Khan Abdulai

. Permana Khan Shaman khel(Khandai Shaman Khel)

. Kher Muhammad Khan Abdulai

. Phani Khan Shaman Khel

. Abdul Malik Khan Shabi Khel

. Saifal Khan Shaman Khel

. Gee Khan Langar khel

. Ghazi Ramzan Shaman khel

. Hayat Khan Machi khel

. Mherdil Khan Mal khel

. Hayat khan Nazar Khel

. Mulana Miraj Uddin Shaheed

. Khonye khel Jalal Khel

. Bostan Khan Galishai

. Malik Gulab Khan Ishangi

. Maj Mirbad Shah Mal khel

. Kutab khan Slemi khel

See Also

Pink's War

References

Category:Karlan Pashtun tribes

name	Hakimullah Mehsud()
birth place	Jandola, South Waziristan
status	Alive
allegiance	Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
serviceyears	2000's to present
battles	War in North-West Pakistan
relations	Qari Hussain (cousin) }}

Hakimullah (Hakim Ullah, Hakeemullah) Mehsud (Pashto/Urdu: حکیم‌الله محسود), born c. 1979 as Jamshed Mehsud (Pashto/Urdu: جمشید محسود) and also known as Zulfiqar Mehsud (Pashto/Urdu: ذو الفقار محسود‎), is the Emir of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He was deputy to commander Baitullah Mehsud and one of the leaders of the militant group Fedayeen al-Islam prior to the elder Mehsud's death in a CIA drone missile strike. He had been the TTP's commander in the Khyber, Kurram and Orakzai agencies of Pakistan. He is described as being in his late 20s and a cousin of Qari Hussain. He is known to be a young and aggressive field commander, who previously served as a driver and was very close to Baitullah Mehsud. Hakimullah Mehsud maintains ties to al-Qaeda, the Afghan Taliban and various Pakistani jihadist groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Reports initially indicated he was fatally wounded on January 14, 2010 by a U.S. drone attack although two videos released by the TTP in 2010 and 2011 proved that he survived the attack. Mehsud was reported by Pakistani intelligence to have been killed by US drone strike on 12 January 2012. However, the Pakistani Taliban denied the claim.

Early years

Hakimullah was born Jamshed Mehsud in the region of Kotkai near the town of Jandola in South Waziristan. His only schooling was at a small village madrassa in Hangu District. One of the other students at the time was Baitullah Mehsud, but he dropped out.

Jihad

Jamshed Mehsud joined his clansman Baitullah in jihad, initially as his bodyguard and aide. He adopted the nom de guerre Zulfiqar, then later took the name Hakimullah, meaning one who has knowledge. He gained a reputation within the Taliban for his battle skills with the AK-47 and the Toyota pickup truck. One Taliban member told a BBC correspondent that at the time Hakimullah's reputed skills were second only to Nek Mohammad.

In 2004, he was made a spokesman. He organized a series of raids against U.S. military convoys between the summer of 2007 and the spring of 2008 that forced the closure of the Khyber Pass six times. In 2008, he was given command of the Orakzai, Khyber and Kurram districts.

Tehrik-e-Taliban leader

Baitullah's successor

Pakistani news channels reported on August 8, 2009 that Hakimullah Mehsud was killed after shooting erupted between his camp and that of Wali-ur-Rehman during a shura to determine the successor to the slain Baitullah Mehsud. Interior Minister Rehman Malik could not confirm the death only that the fighting had occurred. On August 10, a man claiming to be Hakimullah Mehsud called a Reuters reporter to declare that he and Baitullah were still alive. While the reporter was certain that the call was authentic, Pakistani officials awaited voice analysis results and stated that intercepted phone calls led to the intelligence of Hakimullah's death. Wali-ur-Rehman telephoned a Reuters reporter to say that Hakimullah is alive, and would be calling soon, and that the first shura where the shooting supposedly occurred never took place.

Pakistani intelligence officials who thought that Hakimullah had perished believed that the militant's younger brother had returned from fighting in Afghanistan to assume the elder's identity in an effort to project an image of stability and cohesion amid a power struggle among TTP leadership.

On August 22, 2009 Hakimullah Mehsud was appointed unanimously as the new leader of the Tehrik-e-Taliban by a 42-member shura. Analysts cited by ''The Daily Times'' interpreted the appointment of the 28-year-old commander as a way to admit the death of Baitullah Mehsud although spokesmen for the group continued to vehemently deny his passing, instead saying he was ill.

On August 25, Hakimullah and Rehman telephoned the BBC to say that Baitullah Mehsud had died on August 23, 2009 and that Hakimullah had replaced him as TTP leader.

On September 5, 2009, Pakistan forces claimed they had captured a man who confessed to killing Hakimullah Mehsud.

On September 29, 2009, Mehsud's brother Kalimullah was reportedly killed by Pakistan security forces in North Waziristan.

On October 1, 2009, ''The Daily Times'' reported that, according to diplomatic sources, US officials also doubted Hakimullah Mehsud was still alive.

On October 4, 2009 Hakimullah met with a small group of reporters to end any speculation of his demise. He repeated his vows of revenge for the death of Baitullah Mehsud and the drone missile strikes occurring in the tribal areas. However, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik maintained doubts that it was in fact Hakimullah Mehsud in the video, but rather his look-alike brother.

Pakistan issues bounty

On November 2, 2009 Pakistani authorities offered a Rs50 million ($600,000) reward for information that leads to the capture or killing of Hakimullah Mehsud. They offered the same reward for similar information regarding Wali-ur-Rehman and Qari Hussain and smaller rewards for 16 other TTP militants.

Camp Chapman attack

Hakimullah Mehsud appeared alongside suicide bomber Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi in an early January 2010 video that claimed responsibility for the Camp Chapman attack in retaliation for the death of Baitulluh Mehsud.

January 2010 missile strikes

In the early hours of January 14, 2010, two missiles from a US drone struck a compound in the Shaktoi area, where it was believed that Hakimullah slept. Unnamed officials speculated that the militant leader was among the 18 killed in the attack, although TTP spokesman Azam Tariq denied the Emir had died, but did confirm that Hakimullah had been in the area. On January 16 the group released an audiotape carrying the voice of Hakimullah, who said, "Today, on the 16th of January, I am saying it again – I am alive, I am OK, I am not injured ... when the drone strike took place, I was not present in the area at that time." Subsequently rumors circulated that he had died of injuries received in the attack. On January 31, 2010, Pakistan state television reported that Mehsud was injured in the attack and died three days later of his injuries. He was allegedly buried in Orakzai Agency.

Reuters, quoting Pakistani intelligence sources, subsequently suggested that while escaping the initial attack, he was killed in another attack on January 17. The Taliban have rejected reports about Hakimullah's death. ''The Long War Journal'' quoted an American intelligence official stating, "We've seen no evidence he was killed, nor do we hear chatter of a leadership crisis in the Taliban ranks." However, ''The New York Times'' reported that American intelligence was 90% sure that he was dead. As of February 5, 2010, it was still unclear whether he was dead or alive.

On February 9, multiple reports, citing Taliban sources, stated that Mehsud had indeed been fatally wounded on January 14, and died en route to Karachi for medical treatment. Interior Minister Rehman Malik and an anonymous intelligence official confirmed to the Associated Press that the militant leader had perished but provided no further details. While the Taliban did release a videotape of Mehsud on February 28, officials questioned when the tape was made, as Mehsud did not provide details on current events.

Reportedly Alive

On April 28, 2010 Pakistani intelligence sources expressed doubts of Mehsud's demise. The sources believed that Mehsud had been seriously injured in the strike and that his authority in the TTP had been overshadowed by other figures, such as Wali-ur-Rehman.

On May 3, a video of Hakimullah surfaced that was recorded in April.

In February 2011, he is seen in the execution video of Sultan Emir Tarar, better known as Col Imam. Imam was kidnapped in March 2010.

US designates Hakimullah a terrorist

On September 1, 2010 the United States added the militant leader to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists and the TTP to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

Reportedly Dead

In January 15, 2012 Pakistani intelligence officials reported that intercepted radio messages between militants indicated Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a US drone airstrike on the 12th of that month. Pakistani Taliban spokesman Asimullah Mehsud denied claim. Another TTP spokesman, Ihsanullah Ihsan, said in response "We will continue jihad if Hakimullah is alive or dead... There are so many lions in this jungle, and one lion will replace another one to continue this noble mission."

References

Category:Pashtun people Category:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:People from South Waziristan Category:People from Orakzai Agency

ar:حكيم الله محسود de:Hakimullah Mehsud et:Hakimullah Mehsud fa:حکیم‌الله محسود fr:Hakimullah Mehsud ja:ハキームッラー・マフスード ru:Мехсуд, Хакимулла fi:Hakimullah Mehsud ur:حکیم اللہ محسود vi:Hakimullah Mehsud

name	Baitullah Mehsud()
birth date	c. 1974
death place	South Waziristan
death date	August 05, 2009 (aged about 35)
birth place	Bannu District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
status	Dead
allegiance	Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
battles	War on Terror: War in North-West Pakistan }}

Baitullah Mehsud (; ; c. 1974 – August 5, 2009) was a leading militant in Waziristan, Pakistan, and the leader of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He formed the TTP from an alliance of about five militant groups in December 2007. He is thought by U.S. military analysts to have commanded up to 5,000 fighters and to have been behind numerous attacks in Pakistan including the assassination of Benazir Bhutto which he and others have denied.

Disagreement exists over the exact date of the militant's death. Pakistani security officials initially announced that Baitullah Mehsud, his wife and bodyguards were killed on 5 August 2009 in a U.S. Central Intelligence Agency drone attack in the Zangar area of South Waziristan. Interior Minister Rehman Malik delayed giving official confirmation and asked for patience and an announcement by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) or other agencies. Kafayat Ullah, a TTP source, also announced the death of the militant in the strike, as did his deputy Faqir Mohammed. Later Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan commander Hakimullah Mehsud denied previous TTP announcements and said Mehsud was in good health. Major General Athar Abbas, ISPR spokesman, and Robert Gibbs of the White House said his death could not be confirmed, U.S. National Security Adviser James L. Jones also claimed that there was "pretty conclusive" evidence that proved Baitullah Mehsud had been killed and that he was 90% sure of it. On August 25, 2009, Hakimullah Mehsud and Wali-ur-Rehman telephoned the BBC to say that the Baitullah Mehsud had died on August 23, 2009, due to injuries sustained during the August 5 attack. The BBC received a video that shows the body of Mehsud on September 30.

Syed Saleem Shahzad, writing in the ''Asia Times'', described Baitullah Mehsud as a physically small man, with diabetes.

Background

Early life

Baitullah Mehsud was born in the early 1970s in Landi Dhok village in the Bannu District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, which lies some distance from the Mehsud tribe's base in the South Waziristan Agency. An ethnic Pashtun, he hailed from the Broomi Khel side of the Shabi Khel sub-clan of the Mehsud tribe, and was one of five brothers. He avoided media attention and refused to be photographed in adherence with his religious beliefs. He never finished formal schooling although he has received some instruction in a madrassa.

As a young madrassa student, Baitullah would often travel into Afghanistan to assist the Taliban in its implementation of Sharia.

He emerged as a major tribal leader soon after the 2004 death of Nek Mohammad. In a ceremony attended by five leading Taliban commanders, including Mullah Dadullah, Baitullah was appointed Mullah Omar's governor of the Mehsud area.

Leadership dispute

After Nek Muhammad's death, Abdullah Mehsud and Baitullah Mehsud both vied for dominance of the Pakistani Taliban. When Abdullah died in a raid by Pakistani security forces and later his successor perished in a bomb explosion, Qari Zain and other members of Abdullah's faction suspected that Baitullah played a role in the attacks. The rivalry continued after Zainuddin obtained leadership of Abdullah's group.

Relationship with Abdullah Mehsud

Abdullah Mehsud, a Taliban leader who was among the first captives set free from Guantanamo, has been described as Baitullah's brother. Other sources have asserted that they were clansmen or merely associates. ''Islam Online'' reports that Baitullah suspected that Abdullah was a double agent.

2005 ceasefire agreement

Mehsud entered into a ceasefire with Pakistani authorities on 8 February 2005. During the meeting at Sara rogha, the Pakistani military agreed to withdraw its troops from areas under Baitullah's control. The removal did not include the paramilitary Frontier Corps, consisting mostly of fellow Pashtuns. In exchange, Baitullah's followers would not attack government officials, impede development projects or allow foreign militants to operate within their territory. Mehsud was offered US$20 million for his cooperation in the ceasefire. He declined the money and told Pakistani authorities that they should use the pay-out to "compensate families who had suffered during the military operation". The ceasefire agreement ended in July 2005 when after accusing the government of reneging on the deal, Baitullah resumed attacks on security forces.

2006–2007

By 2006, Baitullah Mehsud's growing influence in South Waziristan led terrorism analysts to label him as "South Waziristan's Unofficial Amir".

An official in Frontier Constabulary described his army:

In June 2006 Taliban-aligned Waziri tribes began negotiating another ceasefire with Pakistani forces.

In a January 2007 interview with the BBC Urdu Service, Baitullah extolled the virtues of jihad against foreigners and advocated taking the fight to the U.S. and to Britain.

After the siege of Lal Masjid in July Baitullah turned his forces against the Pakistani state.

In December 2007, Mehsud was declared the first leader of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.

2008 ceasefire

In February 2008, Mehsud announced that he had agreed to another ceasefire with the government of Pakistan although the Pakistani military claimed that operations against Mehsud's forces continued. ''The New York Times'', however, reported that anonymous high-level officials in the Pakistani government confirmed the deal. In April Baitullah circulated a pamphlet that ordered his followers not to undertake any attacks inside Pakistan due to ongoing peace talks.

In July 2008, Baitullah issued a statement that threatened to take action against the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government if it did not step down within five days. The NWFP parliamentary leaders promptly refused.

Rumors of death in September 2008

Various news media sources reported the death of Baitullah Mehsud on 30 September 2008 at the age of 34 due to kidney failure. Many of his close associates, including his aide, his doctor and a Taliban spokesman, vehemently denied the rumors. According to the spokesman, Mehsud was "fit and well." Mehsud's doctor also said he had spoken with him after the rumors of his death. The rumors proved to be false.

Second marriage

Mehsud entered a second marriage in November 2008. Mehsud's first wife bore his four daughters and he may have hoped his second wife, "the daughter of an influential cleric," Ikramuddin Mehsud, would bear him a son.

Leadership dispute continues

In February 2009, senior Taliban leaders Baitullah Mehsud, Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Maulvi Nazir put aside their differences in an effort to refocus against a common enemy. Nazir had previously feuded with Baitullah for his sheltering of Uzbek militants whom Nazir had fought to evict from South Waziristan. As a result of the February agreement, Maulvi Nazir ended support for Qari Zainuddin Mehsud, who the ''Daily Times'' described as the "self-appointed successor of ... Abdullah Mehsud." Zainuddin's group then allied with a group led by another militant, Turkestan Bhittani.

On 27 March 2009, Pakistan's ''Daily Times'' reported that Baitullah Mehsud's group was engaged in a dispute with Qari Zainuddin's group for control of South Waziristan. Both groups had distributed pamphlets leveling accusations against the other groups' leader. Qari Zainuddin stated that Baitullah's group was not practicing jihad because Islam forbids suicide attacks. Baitullah's pamphlet claimed that the slain Abdullah had been a government puppet and Qari Zainuddin was a traitor to Islam and to the Mehsud tribe.

The rivalry culminated on 23 June 2009, when a gunman shot and killed Zainuddin in Dera Ismail Khan. The gunman had served as one of his bodyguards and after the incident was suspected to be Baitullah's agent.

Bounties

On 28 June 2009 the Pakistani government announced a reward of Rs.50,000,000 for information that leads to the capture, dead or alive, of Baitullah. The bounty coincided with a previous offer from the United States, which offered $5,000,000.

Death in August 2009

On the night of August 5, 2009, while he was staying with his second wife at his father-in-law's house, a U.S. drone attacked the premises. According to ''The Times'', it may have been his desire to father a son that ultimately led to his demise.

Two of his followers, Maulana Meraj and Hakimullah Mehsud, denied the report the following day, dismissing it as "rumors" intended to negatively impact the Taliban's spread of jihad. They suggested that Baitullah had gone into hiding and isolation as a part of a strategy. Hakimullah added that meetings of Taliban officials in Dir and surroundings are proceeding as usual "to make worth of their abilities and to discuss other plans which he called 'war game plans'." These reports were followed by several telephone conversations between AP reporters with Qari Hussain, Maulvi Omar and Hakimullah Mehsud to deny Baitullah's death and to claim he had been ill, perhaps gravely, for several months or had been "busy on the battlefield." Hakimullah indicated that soon a videotape would be released as a proof of his statements.

After his capture on August 18, Maulvi Omar retracted his previous statements and confirmed that Baitullah had indeed perished in the missile strike. On August 20, U.S. President Barack Obama stated "We took out [Baitullah] Mehsud" in a radio address. On August 25, both Hakimullah Mehsud and Wali-ur-Rehman confirmed to BBC and AP correspondents that Baitullah had indeed perished on 23 August from injuries sustained in the missile strike.

The attack is part of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) campaign using unmanned aerial vehicles in the region by the agency's Special Activities Division. U.S. missile strikes targeting Mehsud territory in South Waziristan became more common after June 2009 when Pakistan, while having been publicly critical of the missile strikes, declared a military offensive against Mehsud.

Notable incidents attributed to Baitullah Mehsud

A September 2007 report from the United Nations attributed almost 80% of suicide bombings in Pakistan to Baitullah. Pakistani officials traced an estimated 90% of suicide and militant attacks within Pakistan throughout the 2007–2009 period to his South Waziristan stronghold.

September 2007 Rawalpindi bombings

Preliminary investigations concerning the September 2007 bombings in Rawalpindi note that Mehsud is the primary suspect behind the attacks. A 18 December 2005 report stated that Baitullah Mehsud, Abdullah Mehsud and Yaldeshev were the subject of a man-hunt. Authorities said they believed that the militants were short of ammunition and would be captured soon.

Benazir Bhutto assassination

On 28 December 2007 the Pakistan government claimed that it had strong evidence regarding Baitullah Mehsud as the man behind the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on 27 December 2007. The Pakistani government released a transcript it asserted was from a conversation between Baitullah Mehsud and Maulvi Sahib (literally "Mr. Cleric"). According to the transcript Maulvi Sahib claimed credit for the attack, Baitullah Mehsud asked who carried it out, and was told, "There were Saeed, the second was Badarwala Bilal and Ikramullah was also there."

The translation released from Agence France Presse differed slightly from the translation from the Associated Press. According to the transcripts Baitullah Mehsud says he is at, "Anwar Shah's house", in Makeen or Makin. The Agence France Presse transcript identifies Makeen as a town in South Waziristan.

Subsequently, both Agence France Presse and NDTV released an official denial by Mehsud's spokesman in which he said that Mehsud had no involvement in the attack, that the transcript was "a drama", that it would have been "impossible" for militants to penetrate the security cordon around Bhutto, and that her death was a "tragedy" which had left Mehsud "shocked". Mehsud's spokesman was quoted as saying: "I strongly deny it. Tribal people have their own customs. We don't strike women."

In an address to the nation on 2 January 2008, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said that he believed Maulana Fazlullah and Baitullah Mehsud were prime suspects in the assassination of Bhutto.

On 18 January 2008, ''The Washington Post'' reported that the CIA has concluded that Mehsud was behind the Bhutto assassination. "Offering the most definitive public assessment by a U.S. intelligence official, Michael V. Hayden said Bhutto was killed by fighters allied with Mehsud, a tribal leader in northwestern Pakistan, with support from al-Qaeda's terrorist network." U.S. President George W. Bush then placed Mr. Mehsud on "a classified list of militant leaders whom the C.I.A. and American commandos were authorized to capture or kill."

March 2009 Lahore police academy attack

In telephone interviews with news media Mehsud claimed responsibility for the 30 March 2009 attack on the police training academy in Lahore. He told the BBC that the attack was in retaliation for continued missile strikes from American drones for which the Pakistani government shared responsibility. In the same interview Mehsud claimed two other attacks: a March 25 attack on an Islamabad police station and a 30 March suicide attack on a military convoy near Bannu.

April 2009 Binghamton shootings claim

Although the FBI later completely refuted that he had any involvement in the incident, Mehsud claimed responsibility for the shootings in Binghamton, New York, on Friday 13 April. 13 people were killed in the shooting, after which the attacker committed suicide. In a telephone interview, Mehsud reportedly said: "I accept responsibility. They were my men. I gave them orders in reaction to US drone attacks." Mehsud made this claim despite the fact that the gunman in the shootings was alone and of Vietnamese nationality and had stated other motives in his last letter.

References

External links

Pakistan Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud killed

Eye of the Predator by Abhisar Sharma

BBC Profile – Baitullah Mehsud BBC News 28 December 2007

Who is Baitullah Mehsud? Part 1 and Part 2 (c) 2007

Pakistan's Most Wanted IslamOnline.net, 29 January 2008

"The Drone War," by Peter Bergen and Katherine Tiedeman in ''The New Republic''

"The Predator War," by Jane Mayer, ''The New Yorker''

Category:1974 births Category:2009 deaths Category:Deaths by drone attack Category:Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan Category:Wars involving the Taliban Category:Waziristan Category:Extrajudicial killings Category:Pashtun people Category:Taliban leaders Category:Pakistani rebels Category:Pakistani warlords

ar:بيت الله محسود de:Baitullah Mehsud et:Baitullah Mehsud es:Baitullah Mehsud fa:بیت‌الله محسود fr:Baitullah Mehsud it:Baitullah Mehsud he:בייטוללה מחסוד nl:Baitullah Mehsud ja:バイトゥッラー・マフスード no:Baitullah Mehsud ps:بيت الله محسود pl:Baitullah Mehsud pt:Baitullah Mehsud ru:Мехсуд, Байтулла fi:Baitullah Mehsud sv:Baitullah Mehsud ur:بیت اللہ محسود vi:Baitullah Mehsud

Samiullah Khan Niazi (Urdu: سمیع اللہ خان نیازی) (born September 6, 1951, Bahawalpur, Pakistan) is a former field hockey player from Pakistan, who was nicknamed ''The Flying Horse'' because of his great speed. He played as a left winger for his native country in 1970s and 1980s.

He was instrumental in Pakistan's bronze medal in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, and winning gold in Asian Games in Bangkok in 1978. Khan retired from international hockey in 1982 while he was a captain of Pakistan. His brother Kaleemullah Khan also played for the national field hockey team of Pakistan. He later managed the Pakistani team, quitting in 2005.

Samiullah is also nephew of Motiullah, who was member of the 1960 Rome Olympics gold-winning Pakistan hockey side.

External links

Legends of Pakistan Hockey

Article in The Dawn

Times of Hockey

Aur Yeh Goal - Group for Pakistan Hockey

Sami ulllah

Category:1951 births Category:Field hockey players at the 1976 Summer Olympics Category:Living people Category:Olympic field hockey players of Pakistan Category:Pakistani field hockey players Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Pakistan

:''For the Pashto singer from Pakistan, see Ismail and Junaid''.

Name	Ismail Khan
Birth place	Herat, Afghanistan
Nickname	Lion of Herat
Rank	General
Battles	Soviet war in Afghanistan, Civil war in Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom
Laterwork	Governor of Herat, Minister of Water and Energy }}

Mohammad Ismail Khan (born 1946) is a politician and former mujahideen commander from Afghanistan. Born in the western Afghan city of Herat, he rose to become a powerful rebel commander during in the Soviet War in Afghanistan, and then a key member of the Northern Alliance until finally becoming the Governor of Herat Province. He is currently the Minister of Water and Energy, a post he held since 2005. He is a key member of the political party Jamiat-e Islami and the new party United National Front.

Early years

Khan was born in Herat, Afghanistan. His family origin is from Shindand District in the Shindand Town Chahar-Mahal neighbourhood. Although he is an ethnic Tajik by origin, he was widely respected beyond sectarian lines. Even after he was arrested and put under house arrest by the Taleban authorities immediately after Herat's fall in 1995, he was allowed a degree of autonomy because the Taleban respected him because they shared similar fundamentalist ideologies. In early 1979 Ismail Khan was a Captain in the Afghan National Army based in the western city of Herat. In early March, there was a protest in front of the Communist governor's palace against the arrests and assassinations being carried out in the countryside. The governor's troops opened fire on the demonstrators, who proceeded to storm the palace and hunt down Soviet advisers. The Herat garrison mutinied and joined the revolt, with Ismail Khan and other officers distributing all available weapons to the insurgents. The communist government led by Nur Mohammed Taraki responded, pulverizing the city using Soviet supplied bombers and killing an estimated 24,000 citizens in less than a week. This event marked the opening salvo of the rebellion which led to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979. Ismail Khan escaped to the countryside where he started to assemble a local mujahideen army, which was widely supported by the population of Herat.

During the ensuing war, he became the leader of the western command of Burhanuddin Rabbani's Jamiat-e-Islami. With Ahmad Shah Massoud, he was one of the most respected mujahideen leaders. In 1992, two years after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, the mujahideen captured Herat, and Ismail Khan became Governor.

Resistance against the Taliban

In 1995, he successfully defended his province against the Taliban, in cooperation with Massoud. He even attacked the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar, but was repulsed. Later, an ally of the Jamiat, Uzbek General Abdul Rashid Dostum changed sides, and attacked Herat. Ismail Khan was forced to flee to Iran with 8,000 men and the Taliban took over Herat.

Two years later, while organising opposition to the Taliban in Faryab area, he was betrayed and captured by Abdul Majid Rouzi who had defected to the Taliban along with Abdul Malik Pahlawan, then one of Dostum's deputies. Then in March 1999 he escaped from Kandahar prison. During the U.S. intervention in Afghanistan, he fought against the Taliban within the United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan (Northern Alliance) and thus regained his position as Governor of Herat.

Post-Taliban era

After returning to Herat, Ismail Khan quickly consolidated his control over the region. He took over control of the city from the local ulema and quickly established control over the trade route between Herat and Iran, a large source of revenue. As Emir of Herat, Ismail Khan exercised great autonomy, providing social welfare for Heratis, expanding his power into neighbouring provinces, and maintaining direct international contacts. Although hated by the educated in Herat and often accused of human rights abuses, Ismail Khan's regime provided security, paid government employees, and made investments in public services. However, during his tenure as Governor, Ismail Khan was accused of ruling his province like a private fiefdom, leading to increasing tensions with the Afghan Transitional Administration. In particular, he refused to pass on to the government the revenues gained from custom taxes on goods from Iran and Turkmenistan.

Ismail Khan was ultimately removed from power in March 2004 due to pressure by neighbouring warlords and the central Afghan government. Various sources have presented different versions of the story, and the exact dynamics cannot be known with certainty. What is known is that Ismail Khan found himself at odds with a few regional commanders who, although theoretically his subordinates, attempted to remove him from power. Ismail Khan claims that these efforts began with a botched assassination attempt. Afterwards, these commanders moved their forces near Herat. Ismail Khan, unpopular with the Herati military class, was slow to mobilise his forces, perhaps waiting for the threat to Herat to become existential as a means to motivate his forces. However, the conflict was stopped with the intervention of International Security Assistance Force forces and soldiers of the Afghan National Army, freezing the conflict in its tracks. Ismail Khan's forces even fought skirmishes with the Afghan National Army, in which his son, Mirwais Sadiq was killed. Because Ismail Khan was contained by the Afghan National Army, the warlords who opposed him were quickly able to occupy strategic locations unopposed. Ismail Khan was forced to give up his governorship and to go to Kabul, where he served in Hamid Karzai's cabinet as the Minister of Energy.

Assassination attempt

On September 27, 2009, Ismail Khan survived a suicide blast that killed 4 of his bodyguards in Herat, in western Afghanistan. He was driving to Herat Airport when a powerful explosion occurred on the way there. Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility and said the target was Khan.

Testimony requested by a Guantanamo captive

Guantanamo captive Abdul Razzaq Hekmati requested Ismail Khan's testimony, when he was called before a Combatant Status Review Tribunal. Ismail Khan, like Afghan Minister of Defense Rahim Wardak, was one of the high profile Afghans that those conducting the Tribunals ruled were "not reasonably available" to give a statement on a captive's behalf because they could not be located.

Hekmati had played a key role in helping Ismail Khan escape from the Taliban in 1999. Hekmati stood accused of helping Taliban leaders escape from the custody of Hamid Karzai's government.

Carlotta Gall and Andy Worthington interviewed Ismail Khan for a new ''New York Times'' article after Hekmati died of cancer in Guantanamo. According to the ''New York Times'' Ismail Khan said he personally buttonholed the American ambassador to tell him that Hekmati was innocent, and should be released. In contrast, Hekmati was told that the State Department had been unable to locate Khan.

Controversy

Ismail Khan is a controversial figure. Reporters Without Borders has charged him with muzzling the press and ordering attacks on journalists. Also Human Rights Watch has accused him of human rights abuses. After the fall of the Taliban when Ismail Khan regained control of Herat, he established an Islamic police, who would beat anyone who was found drinking and then parade them through the city with their heads shaved.

Nevertheless, he remains a popular figure for some in Afghanistan. Unlike other mujahideen commanders, Khan has not been linked to large-scale massacres and atrocities such as those committed after the capture of Kabul in 1992. Moreover, during his Governorship, Herat province has enjoyed relative peace and prosperity, with Khan using the money drawn from customs revenues to repair much of the damage done by the Taliban. Following news of his dismissal, rioting broke out in the streets of Herat, and President Karzai had to ask him to make a personal appeal for calm.

Notes and references

External links

Official site of Amir Mohammad Ismail

Strategic Insights - Ismail Khan, Herat, and Iranian Influence

BBC Profile: Ismail Khan

GlobalSecurity.org - General Mohammad Ismail Khan

BBC interview with Ismail Khan in 2004 (on Youtube)

Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:Afghan anti-communists Category:Afghan military personnel Category:Afghan Tajik people Category:Afghan warlords Category:Attempted assassination survivors Category:Government ministers of Afghanistan Category:Jamiat-e Islami politicians Category:People of the Soviet war in Afghanistan Category:Survivors of terrorist attacks Category:United National Front (Afghanistan) politicians Category:Date of birth missing (living people)

bg:Исмаил Хан de:Muhammad Ismāʿil fa:محمد اسماعیل‌خان fr:Ismail Khan id:Ismail Khan ml:ഇസ്മയിൽ ഖാൻ nl:Ismail Khan ja:イスマーイール・ハーン no:Ismail Khan ps:محمد اسماعيل خان pl:Ismael Chan pt:Ismail Khan ru:Исмаил-хан uk:Ісмаїл-Хан