US designates TTP head Maulana Fazlullah as global terrorist

WASHINGTON (Pajhwok): The United States on Tuesday designated Maulana Fazlullah of the Tehreek-i-Taliban (TTP) as a global terrorist. The announcement from the State Department came soon as Secretary of State John Kerry left Pakistan.

In a statement, the State Department said it was under Maulana Fazlullah that TTP claimed responsibility for the December 16 attack on a school in Peshawar, killing at least 148 individuals, mostly students.

As a result of this designation, US nationals are prohibited from engaging in transactions with Fazlullah. This freezes property and interests of the militant leader that are in the United States, or come within the United States or the possession or control of Americans.

Fazlullah was elected as TTP commander in November 2013, following the death of former Hakimullah Mehsud. The Department of State designated TTP as a terrorist organisation on September 1, 2010.  TTP was also listed in the United Nations 1267/1989 Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee on July 29, 2011.

Prior to becoming the TTP chief, Fazlullah claimed he was behind the killing of Pakistani Army Major General Sanaullah Niazi in September 2013, as well as ordering the shooting of schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai in 2012. 

Fazlullah was responsible for the beheading of 17 Pakistani soldiers after an attack in June 2012 and also ordered the targeted killings of elders who led peace committees against the Taliban.

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