DID Press: Newly circulated images on social media allegedly show Noor Wali Mehsud, leader of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), in Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, potentially raising fresh questions about Islamabad’s claims regarding his whereabouts.
According to claims accompanying the images, Mehsud was seen inside Pakistani territory. If independently verified, the images could challenge Pakistan’s repeated assertions about the location of the TTP leader and raise new questions about Islamabad’s narrative concerning the group’s presence.
Pakistan has repeatedly claimed in recent years that TTP leaders and members are based in Afghanistan, using the allegation to justify pressure on and military actions against Afghanistan.
However, images have previously emerged in which Mehsud appeared to confirm that he was alive and said he was present in Pakistan’s tribal areas.
The latest images, purportedly showing Mehsud in Kurram, have once again intensified debate over the whereabouts of the TTP leader and competing claims by Kabul and Islamabad.