Qari Hussain

Qari Hussain Ahmad Mehsud (Pashto/Urdu: قارى حسین احمد) (6 December 1988 – 7 October 2010) was a top lieutenant in the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the organizer of the group's suicide bombing squads.[3][4] He was a cousin of Hakimullah Mehsud.[5]

Qari Hussain Ahmad Mehsud قارى حسین احمد
Qari Hussain Mehsud
Born6 December 1988[1]
Kotkai, South Waziristan, Pakistan[2]
Died7 October 2010
North Waziristan, Pakistan
AllegianceTehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
Years of service2000s to October 2010
Battles/warsWar on Terror:
  • War in North-West Pakistan
RelationsHakimullah Mehsud (cousin, deceased)

Operations

Hussain ran a training camp for suicide bombers in South Waziristan[6] and had been active in violent acts against the Pakistani government. In May 2007 he directed a campaign of attacks in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. The attacks included targeted killings of tribal elders and political agents, and attacks on police which resulted in many civilian deaths.

The violent nature of the attacks almost led to a split with Baitullah Mehsud, who at the time was amir of the TTP. On 1 June 2007, Mehsud captured 17 of Hussain's men and threatened to kill them in retaliation for a particularly brutal attack upon the residence of Pir Amiruddin Shah, the Political Agent of Khyber Agency, which killed guests and family members and had been undertaken without Mehsud's consent.[7] However, Hussain was still a commander of Taliban forces.

Hussain was reported dead after his home was destroyed in January 2008, but in May 2008 appeared in front of Pakistani media to deny the reports.[6][8][9] He was later reported killed in a 23 June 2009 airstrike at Makeen in South Waziristan, but then phoned reporters to prove he was alive.[10] A few days after the airstrike, the Pakistan government announced a 10 million rupee reward for the killing or capture of Hussain, among other Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan commanders.[10] On 2 November 2009 the reward was increased to 50 million rupees ($600,000) [11][12][13]

A report by the Press Trust of India cited sources affirming that Hussain was killed on 14 January 2010, in the American drone airstrike in North Waziristan that reportedly killed Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud;[14] however, Hussain apparently spoke with local media by telephone to deny Mehsud's death.[15] The News International later reported that "top Pakistani and US sources" confirmed Hussain's death in the same drone strike against Mehsud.[16] However, he once again appeared in an interview, speaking with Rediff.com in March 2010, and again denying Mehsud's death.[17]

Hussain claimed responsibility for the 2010 Times Square car bomb attempt in an audiotape that was posted on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan News Channel on the website YouTube.[18] Authorities in Pakistan believe that Faisal Shahzad, the Pakistani-American who admitted to planting the Times Square car bomb, was introduced to Hussain via Mohammad Rehan, and subsequently received explosives training before he returned to the United States.[19][20]

On 15 October 2010, several reports came out indicating that Qari Hussain was killed in an American drone strike. Geo TV said that he and five Turks were killed on 2 October in the Dattakhel area.[21] The Press Trust of India stated that he and three others were killed on 7 October outside of Miranshah in Jungle Khel.[22] While Taliban spokesman Azam Tariq denied these reports were true, Qari Hussein never contacted media to confirm his survival.[23] On 26 October, a senior Taliban operative as well as a counter terrorism expert contacted the Asia Times confirming that Mehsud was killed on 7 October in the sub-district of Khushali in Mirali.[24]

The TTP officially confirmed Mehsud's death in December 2013.[25]

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References
  1. "Counter Terrorism Designations; Counter Terrorism Designation Removals; Counter Narcotics Removals; Counter Narcotics Updates". www.treasury.gov. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  2. "The Pakistani Taliban's Suicide Bomber Trainer: A Profile of Qari Hussain Mehsud". Critical Threats. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  3. Masood, Salman (6 October 2009). "Pakistan Braces for Taliban Attacks as It Prepares Offensive". New York Times. New York City: The New York Times Company. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
  4. Hasan, Syed Shoaib; M Ilyas Khan (26 March 2009). "Profile: Baitullah Mehsud". BBC News. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  5. "Pakistan offers Taliban bounties". BBC News. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  6. Roggio, Bill (2008-05-25). "Taliban commander Qari Hussain survived military operation in Waziristan". The Long War Journal.
  7. Khan, Behroz; David Montero (2 July 2007). "Pakistan's Taliban fight each other". The Christian Science Monitor.
  8. Khattak, Iqbal (26 May 2008). "Tailban chief ideologist survives 'Zalzala'". Daily Times. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  9. "Waziristan militant commander killed?". Daily Times. 27 January 2008. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  10. Yusufzai, Rahimullah (29 June 2009). "US, Pakistan both offer head money for Baitullah". The News International. Archived from the original on 30 June 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  11. "Pakistan offers Taliban bounties". BBC News. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  12. "Deadly blast rocks Pakistani city". Al Jazeera. Doha: Aljazeera IT. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2009.
  13. "Government offers reward for leads on Taliban chiefs". Dawn. Dawn Media Group. 2 November 2009. Archived from the original on 5 November 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2009.
  14. "'Hakimullah's likely successor also killed'". The Times of India. Press Trust of India. 3 February 2010.
  15. "Taliban denies leader is dead". Al Jazeera. 1 February 2010. Retrieved 4 February 2010.
  16. Abraham, Sami (1 March 2010). "US shy of confirming Hakimullah's death". The News International. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
  17. "Exclusive: Taliban suicide squad chief speaks". Rediff.com. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  18. Roggio, Bill (2 May 2010). "Pakistani Taliban claim credit for failed NYC Times Square car bombing". The Long War Journal. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  19. Shahzad, Syed Saleem (5 May 2010). "Pakistan: NY bomb suspect 'met Taliban explosives expert'". Adnkronos. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  20. "Times Square Bomb Suspect Met With Key Taliban Leader, Pakistani Officials Say". Fox News. 5 May 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  21. "Drone kills wanted TTP operative in NWA". Geo TV. 15 October 2010. Archived from the original on 20 October 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  22. "Taliban's No. 2 killed in US drone attack in Pakistan". Press Trust of India. 15 October 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  23. "TTP's top gun Qari Hussain 'killed'". DAWN.COM. 16 October 2010. Archived from the original on 16 October 2010. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  24. Shahzad, Syed Saleem (27 October 2010). "Drones ever-closer to Pakistan's militants". Asia Times Online. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  25. Roggio, Bill (20 December 2013). "Taliban eulogize Qari Hussain, chief of suicide and international operations". FDD's Long War Journal. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
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