Multiple sources on Friday claimed that Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Noor Wali Mehsud was killed in an airstrike in Kabul on Thursday night, in what could mark a major development in the ongoing regional counterterrorism efforts. Reports from Afghan media, including Amu TV, said that loud explosions were heard near Abdulhaq Square in downtown Kabul, believed to be the result of targeted airstrikes on a compound allegedly linked to Mehsud. The Taliban’s chief spokesman confirmed the occurrence of explosions in the city and stated that an investigation was underway, without disclosing further details about the target or casualties.
Sources said that reports of Mehsud’s death were being verified through intelligence and technical sources. They noted that if confirmed, the elimination of the TTP leader would represent a significant blow to the banned outfit’s command and operational network.
Noor Wali Mehsud, born in 1978 in South Waziristan, emerged as one of Pakistan’s most wanted militants and was designated a global terrorist by the United Nations Security Council in 2020 for his role in financing, planning, and executing attacks across Pakistan. After taking over the TTP’s leadership in 2018 following the death of Mullah Fazlullah, Mehsud oversaw a resurgence of the group’s activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal districts, orchestrating deadly attacks on security forces and law enforcement agencies. Under his command, the TTP also expanded its network in Karachi, running extortion and kidnapping-for-ransom rackets to finance militant operations.
In recent years, Pakistani authorities intensified legal and intelligence efforts against Mehsud, particularly after an audio leak in 2024 allegedly revealed him directing attacks against schools and public institutions. Officials described him as a central figure in reorganising the TTP’s scattered factions and rebuilding its command structure following years of counterterrorism operations that had weakened the group.
The reported airstrike in Kabul coincided with Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s official visit to India for high-level talks his first since the Taliban took power in 2021. The timing of the incident has drawn regional attention, though no government or foreign entity has claimed responsibility for the strike.
Analysts said that if Mehsud’s killing is confirmed, it would validate Pakistan’s longstanding concerns that the TTP leadership has been operating from Afghan soil. Islamabad has repeatedly urged the interim Afghan government to prevent militant groups from using its territory to launch cross-border attacks into Pakistan a charge that the Taliban administration has consistently denied.
Despite widespread reports of his death, the Taliban government in Kabul has yet to confirm Mehsud’s killing, and no visual or forensic evidence has been made public so far. Pakistani authorities are said to be seeking further confirmation through intelligence channels and regional coordination mechanisms.
Mehsud’s death, if verified, would mark a significant victory in the region’s ongoing struggle against terrorism. It would also reaffirm Pakistan’s determination to continue its efforts against all militant groups that threaten the country’s peace and security. Officials in Islamabad reiterated that Pakistan remains committed to working with regional partners to ensure lasting stability, emphasizing that the fight against terrorism will persist until its roots are fully dismantled.
