*ISLAMABAD: In yet another diplomatic victory for Pakistan, United States state department accepts Pakistan’s long standing demand against TTP Chief blacklisting as global terrorist.*
*United States has designated TTP Chief Noor Wali Mehsud as global terrorist along with strong sanctions against him.*
The United States on Tuesday designated the chief of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Noor Wali Mehsud as a global terrorist 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 signed an executive order “modernising and strengthening sanctions authorities to combat terrorism”, said a press statemen link 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.
“Terrorist designations expose and isolate organisations and individuals, and deny them access to the US financial system. Moreover, designations can assist the law enforcement activities of US agencies and other governments,” elaborates the US State Dept.