Ehsanullah Ehsan (Taliban spokesman)

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Ehsanullah Ehsan

Ehsanullah Ehsan was a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban.^[1][2] In December 2011, Ehsanullah disputed that the Pakistani Taliban was negotiating a cease-fire with the Pakistani government.^[3] He asserted that the individuals negotiating that cease-fire were doing so without the authorization of the Taliban's leadership. He was sacked on June 25, 2013.^[4] Ehsan, along with other former commanders of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, such as Omar Khorasani, a senior leader in the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan now lead a splinter group (Jamaat-ul-Ahrar) of the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Attacks

• On March 27, 2016, Ehsan claimed responsibility for the bombing at Lahore park, Pakistan. Ehsan stated that the attack was on Christians, as they were celebrating Easter.^[5]
• On August 16, 2015, Ehsan claimed responsibility for the killing of Col. (R) Shujaat Khanzada (Punjab Interior Minister) with the help of RSU* (Rana Sana Ullah) allies' and said that they will fix all those who are against TTP, ASWJ, LJ & Molana Ghazi.
• On June 23, 2013, Ehsan claimed responsibility for the killing of nine foreign tourists and their guide in Gilgit-Balitistan.^[6]
• On October 9, 2012, Ehsan claimed responsibility for the Taliban shooting in the head of a 15-year-old Pakistani activist, Malala Yousafzai, a girl who was famous for highlighting Taliban atrocities. He said that the teenager's work had been an "obscenity" that needed to be stopped: "This was a new chapter of obscenity, and we have to finish this chapter." ^[7] On October 15, Pakistani interior minister, Rehman Malik, offered a $1 million bounty for Ehsan.^[8]
• On November 22, 2012, Ehsan claimed Taliban responsibility for suicide bombings carried out the day before against Shiites in Rawalpindi and Karachi. As justification for the attacks, he stated that "the Shiite community is engaged in defiling the Prophet." He also asserted that his group's activities would continue "irrespective of security measures taken by Rehman Malik." ^[9][10]
• On December 15, 2012, Ehsan confirmed Taliban involvement in a rocket attack on Bacha Khan International Airport that killed 4 people and wounded 35. He noted that the attack's intended target was actually an adjacent airbase, and claimed that the Taliban "have planned more attacks on Pakistani forces and its installation as it works to please the USA".^[11]
• On November 2, 2014, Ehsan claimed responsibility for the 2014 Wagah border suicide attack. "Some other groups have claimed responsibility of this attack, but these claims are baseless. We will soon release the video of this attack," he said. "This attack is revenge for the killing of innocent people in North Waziristan," the banned militant group's spokesman said.^[12]
• On November 7, 2014, Ehsan claimed responsibility for twin blasts that killed at least six people in Mohmand agency. The blasts targeted the peace committee volunteers in Chinari village of Safi Tehsil. Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the blasts targeting members of government backed peace committee and vowed to continue attacking tribal peace committees.^[13]
• On November 21, 2014, Ehsan claimed responsibility for a grenade attack, on the micro-blogging website twitter, on the membership camp of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Orangi Town area of Karachi. Three members of the Sindh Assembly and 50 workers were injured.^[14][15]

See also

• Jamaat-ul-Ahrar
• Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan
• Fazlullah
• Operation Zarb-e-Azb

References

1. "Taliban admits Shabqadar attack". BBC News. 2011-05-03. "It's the first revenge for the martyrdom of... Bin Laden. There will be more," Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told the Reuters news agency by telephone from an undisclosed location.
2. "Suicide attack strikes Pakistani soldiers". Al Jazeera. 2011-12-24. Retrieved 2011-12-28. A Pakistani Taliban spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan, claimed responsibility for the attack in a phone call to the Associated Press news agency. He said it was meant to avenge the death of commander Taj Gul in a US drone strike in October in the South Waziristan tribal area, a key sanctuary for the militants.
3. "Pakistani Taliban deny talks with government". Al Jazeera. 2011-12-11. Retrieved 2011-12-28. `Talks by a handful of people with the government cannot be deemed as the Taliban talking,' Ehsan told The Associated Press by telephone from an undisclosed location.
4. "Pakistan Taliban sack spokesman in sign of growing divisions". Reuters. 2013-07-09.
5. "Pakistan explosion leaves many dead at Lahore park". BBC. March 27, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
6. Tahir Khan in Islamabad (2013-06-23). "TTP claims responsibility for killing tourists in Gilgit-Baltistan guardian.co.uk". The Tribune. Retrieved 2013-06-23.
7. Jon Boone in Islamabad (2012-10-09). "Pakistani girl shot over activism in Swat valley, claims Taliban | World news | guardian.co.uk". London: Guardian. Retrieved 2012-10-16.
8. "As teen recovers from Taliban hit, Pakistanis demand answers". CNN. 2012-10-16. Retrieved October 16, 2012.
9. dpa (2012-11-22). "Taliban militants take responsibility for attacks on Pakistani Shiites". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 2012-11-24.
10. AFP (2012-12-22). "Pakistani Taliban claims responsibility for twin bombings". The Australian. Retrieved 2012-11-24.
11. Nasir Habib (2012-12-15). "Violence rocks Pakistan city; 9 killed". CNN. Retrieved 2012-12-18.
12. http://www.dawn.com/news/1142006/ttp-splinter-groups-claim-wagah-attack-60-dead
13. http://www.dawn.com/news/1142941/twin-blasts-kill-at-least-six-people-in-mohmand
14. three members of the Sindh Assembly and 50 workers were injured in the grenade attack
15. http://www.geo.tv/article-166470-Jamaatul-Ahrar-claims-responsibility-for-attack-on-MQM-camp