US DESIGNATES TTP LEADER, MANY OTHERS AS TERRORISTS

WASHINGTON: The US has designated Noor Ali, the new leader of Tehrik-e-taliban Pakistan (TTP), as a specially declared global terrorist along with a group of other individuals and entities active in other countries. The decision came as America marks the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Ali took over the outfit, which is also known as the Pakistani Taliban, after the killing of Mullah Fazlullah in a US drone strike.

The US state department said that under the leadership of Noor Ali, who is also known as Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, TTP has “claimed responsibility for numerous deadly terrorist attacks across Pakistan”.

The most significant of them was the attack on a school for the children of Pakistani defence personnel in Peshawar in 2014 which left 149 people dead, including 132 schoolchildren.

The new terrorism authorities ordered by US President Donald Trump, secretary of state Mike Pompeo said they allow the government to “better target terrorist group leaders; provide new tools to pursue individuals who participate in terrorist training; and authorise secondary sanctions on foreign financial institutions that have knowingly conducted or facilitated significant financial transactions with sanctioned persons”.

The state department also designated leaders of Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, ISIS, Isis-philippines and ISIS-WEST Africa.

Separately, US treasury department designated 15 terrorists affiliated with ISIS, Isis-philippines, Isis-khorasan, al-qaeda, Hamas, and Iran’s IRGC-QODS Force.