Following Hakimullah Mehsud's meeting with tribal reporters last week, the NEFA Foundation gained access to a brief autobiographical sketch handwritten by the TTP leader to provide a reliable account of his life and origins to the media. The NEFA Foundation is releasing an exclusive package based on those notes, which includes:
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A Video of Tahir Yuldashev Joining Hands with New TTP Leader, Hakimullah Mehsud
The most significant section of Mehsud's brief autobiographical sketch outlines the early days of the Pakistani Taliban, which, according to Hakimullah, first emerged alongside their Afghan brethren in Khost Province, namely the Haqqani network under the leadership of commander Maulvi Sangeen. Significantly, Amir Baitullah, who Hakimullah succeeded at the helm of the TTP, is mentioned as one of the early leaders, alongside Nek Mohammed Wazir, the first figurehead of the Pakistani Taliban, and Abdullah Mehsud, his successor for a brief period. Also, Hakimullah takes care to mention both Al-Qaida and the Uzbek insurgents, with whom he has reportedly been associated since his early days. He also seems to point out that he directly succeeded Nek Mohammed as the paladin of Uzbek and Al-Qaida fighters, even under Baitullah's rule.
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The NEFA Foundation plays a role in the fight against terror through cohesive and comprehensive efforts to research, analyze, and disseminate information pertaining to past and current terrorist activities. The Foundation shares its findings with law enforcement agencies and the intelligence community where appropriate, and works with other research organizations to educate the public on the threat of terrorism. NEFA, by funding extensive field research, is able to obtain original documents as well as develop an on-the-ground understanding of events.
