TTP Chief Noor Wali Mehsud shared a video indicating he is alive!
The political and military environment of South Asia was shaken once more as Pakistan reportedly launched an airstrike on Afghan territory, targeting TTP Chief Noor Wali Mehsud , the head of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), according to reports. The October 9 attack in Kabul—assumedly targeting an armoured Toyota Land Cruiser that Mehsud was in—was analysed by security experts as one of Pakistan’s most brazen cross-border missions in recent history.
But the result was not what Islamabad might have desired. In a matter of days, Mehsud surfaced again in a video message, alive and defiant, stating that accounts of his death were “fabricated.” His survival immediately rekindled tensions, with the Pakistani establishment left pondering a difficult question: Was the gamble worthwhile!
The Strike That Ignited a Storm
The attempted assassination had immediate and violent consequences. Pakistan was accused by Afghan authorities of intruding on its sovereignty, while border areas had deadly confrontations that resulted in casualties for both sides. The border towns that are typically arteries of trade between the two countries became hotbeds of artillery battles and mayhem.
By Wednesday, following several days of growing violence, a shaky ceasefire came into place. But the harm—to lives, to confidence, and to regional stability—was already deep. The incident was one of the most serious clashes in decades between Afghanistan and Pakistan, recalling acrid memories of previous animosities many had thought were long interred.
The Root of Pakistan’s Grievance
Islamabad has long blamed Kabul for disregarding TTP operations within Afghan borders. Pakistani authorities claim that Noor Wali Mehsud and his top leaders have been launching near-daily attacks against Pakistan from havens within Afghanistan.
These raids, they assert, have killed scores of civilian and military personnel in Pakistan’s border areas. The Islamabad government has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban to move against these militants, but to little avail. The airstrike—if unofficially acknowledged—was seemingly proof of desperation: a message being delivered that Pakistan will act should it be provoked.
Mehsud’s Reappearance: A Blow to Pakistan’s Strategy
For Pakistanis, Mehsud’s reappearance in a video address was a chastening experience. The very purpose of the operation—to kill a high-value target—had been defeated, and where instead of weakening the TTP leadership, it has given a boost to the group’s leadership. Mehsud’s show was not just a symbolic triumph for the militants but also a propaganda coup against Pakistan’s military campaign.
Security experts caution that this result may set off a deadly cycle of retribution, one that will destabilize further the already volatile border areas.
What Next for the Two Neighbours?
Although the ceasefire has momentarily ceased the violence, tensions are still unaddressed. The government of Afghanistan continues to deny sheltering TTP terrorists, while Pakistan maintains that its sovereignty is breached each time an attack is made from Afghan territory.
The world waits nervously as the two nations—tied by history, geography, and suspicion—chart this precarious course. For the time being, diplomacy is all that seems available, but suspicion against each other is deep-seated.
The Cost of Power and Perception
The October 9 strike has put into question critically the extent to which military action can be used to combat cross-border militancy. Was the operation a legitimate act of self-defense, or an escalation that threatened to initiate two nuclear-armed neighbors into long-term conflict?
Pakistan might have aimed to neutralize a threat, but the incident highlights a bitter reality: in the complex web of regional politics, clear-cut victories are few—and each blow has repercussions that reverberate far beyond the battlefield.
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