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March 2020 MLM VOLUME XI, ISSUE 3, MARCH 2020 THE JAMESTOWN FOUNDATION The Past as Escape from The GNA’s Latest Defection: A Precedent: Is Pakistan: TTP Profile of the AQAP’s New the Taliban’s Spokesperson Tripoli Emir: Who is Military Chief Militiaman- Ehsan ullah Khalid Batarfi? Sirajuddin Turned-Diplomat BRIEF Ehsan Fled Mohamed Shaeban Haqqani Ready from Custody ‘al-Mirdas’ for Peace? LUDOVICO SUDHA JOHN FOULKES FARHAN ZAHID DARIO CRISTIANI CARLINO RAMACHANDRAN VOLUME XI, ISSUE 3 | MARCH 2020 Bashir Qorgab—al-Shabaab Veteran al-Shabaab (Radio Muqdisho, March 7; Commander Killed in U.S. Airstrike Jerusalem Post, March 8). John Foulkes Qorgab was born sometime between 1979 and 1982, and was a senior al-Shabaab leader for On February 22, an airstrike carried out by U.S. over a decade, having been one of ten members Africa Command killed a senior al-Shabaab of al-Shabaab’s executive council, as of 2008. leader, Bashir Mohamed Mahamoud (a.k.a. On April 13, 2010, the United States placed Bashir Qorgab) (Radio Muqdisho, March 7). As Qorgab on the list of specially designated global a senior operational commander in the Somali terrorists. The U.S. State Department’s Reward militant group, Qorgab is believed to have been for Justice program offered $5 million for involved in the planning of the attack on the information that led to his arrest in June 2012, military base Camp Simba and its Manda Bay pointing to the fact that he led a mortar attack airstrip used by U.S. and Kenyan forces. The against the then-Transitional Federal attack killed one U.S. army soldier and two Government in Mogadishu in June 2009, and contractors, and destroyed six aircraft. Though was involved in coordinating activities with al- the airstrike occurred on February 22, the Qaeda, as of 2007 (U.S. Treasury, April 13, Somali and U.S. governments did not confirm it 2010; Rewards for Justice, June, 2012; Standard was Qorgab who was killed until March 7 (Radio Media, June 8, 2012). Muqdisho, March 7; SABC, March 9). Most recently, he led three units of al-Shabaab Somalia’s state radio, Radio Muqdisho, reported fighters, two of which were operating inside of that the strike took place in the town of Saakow, Ke n y a , a c c o r d i n g t o U S A F R I C O M in Somalia’s Middle Juba region, killing both spokesperson Col. Chris Karns. These include a Qorgab and his wife, who was also a member of unit of the Jaysh al-Ayman, an elite group of al- Shabaab fighters active in the southeastern !1 VOLUME XI, ISSUE 3, MARCH 2020 THE JAMESTOWN FOUNDATION Lamu county of Kenya, in the area of Manda stoke al-Shabaab’s infighting. The group is Bay. A Somali intelligence official reportedly said currently riven with “allegations and counter- that the Jaysh al-Ayman were responsible for the allegations of espionage,” according to an Manda Bay attack, though it could also have intelligence report (Daily Nation, March 27). been done by one of al-Shabaab’s commando Qorgab’s killing coming in the midst of an inter- units. Qorgab previously trained the Jughta Ulus, clan struggle within the group will likely foster an al-Shabaab commando unit (All Africa, continued mistrust between Diriye and other March 9; The Star, March 9). leaders. At the time of his death, Qorgab was The airstrike that killed Qorgab also comes in purportedly involved in a dispute within al- the context of a rigorous air campaign by the Shabaab’s leadership. Somalia’s intelligence United States against al-Shabaab in Somalia. agency, the National Intelligence and Security Recently, commentators have pointed out that Agency (NISA), reported last month that Qorgab U.S. airstrikes in the country have kept pace with was removed from al-Shabaab’s executive those in Syria and Iraq in 2020, and the United council alongside another senior commander, States launched an average of one airstrike per Mahad Karate. Al-Shabaab leader Abu Diriye week in 2019 (Garowe Online, March 10). These (a.k.a Ahmad Umar; a.k.a. Abu Ubaidah) constant attacks have hamstrung al-Shabaab allegedly removed them for advising against the operations, making them dysfunctional within continued targeting of civilians in Mogadishu the villages they occupy and forcing some (Twitter.com/HSNQ_NISA, February 3; operatives to hide in urban areas, where there is Garowe Online, February 4). a less likely chance of an airstrike (Garowe Online, March 26). Additional information indicates that Qorgab and Karate’s expulsions were a result of financial Despite the leadership disputes, inter-clan disagreements and inter-clan conflict with Diriye. squabbles, and U.S. airstrikes, al-Shabaab has Karate was the head of finances and intelligence maintained its ability to conduct small and large- for al-Shabaab. Karate’s and Qorgab’s clans scale attacks, mostly in Mogadishu. However, disputed the expulsions, and Karate in particular Qorgab was a veteran commander of the group, was accused of hoarding resources on behalf of leading al-Shabaab fighters since the early days his Hawiye clan, which is the largest in Somalia. of the Somali civil war’s current phase. His Diriye has been attempting to wrestle further death highlights the multiple challenges, both control of the group from Karate, something internally and externally, the terrorist group faces which has proved difficult due to deep clan in maintaining its operational capacity into the allegiances. Diriye has allegedly responded to this future. by reaching out to smaller clans, in order to form a larger conglomeration to challenge Hawiye John Foulkes is the Editor of Militant Leadership influence (Daily Nation, March 27). Monitor. That Qorgab’s death happened so soon after his expulsion, approximately two weeks, will likely !2 VOLUME XI, ISSUE 3, MARCH 2020 THE JAMESTOWN FOUNDATION Escape from Pakistan: TTP Who is Ehsan Ullah Ehsan? Spokesperson Ehsan ullah Liaquat Ali, a.k.a Ehsan Ullah Ehsan, hails from Ehsan Fled from Custody Mohmand district of the former tribal areas of Pakistan (now part of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Farhan Zahid province). He joined TTP during the Islamist insurgency in Swat in 2008, where the Tehreek- In February 2017, Pakistani security and law e-Nifaz e Shariat Mohammadi (TNSM), one of enforcement authorities managed to get the integral groups under the TTP umbrella, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesperson had, along with TTP, seized large swaths of Ehsan ullah Ehsan to defect to Pakistani territory. The insurgency occupied Malakand authorities. Or, at least, government officials division in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa province and proclaimed that he had surrendered to began enforcing Sharia law. authorities and was cooperating with them (News International, February 10). Ehsan’s Ehsan quickly rose to become TTP’s capture was portrayed in Pakistani media as a spokesperson, claiming on behalf of TTP a great achievement and for months was a major number of major terrorist operations. These news item. The event seemed to have broken the operations included an attempt on the life of back of TTP. Ehsan was not just a spokesperson future Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai in 2012; of the most lethal Islamist terrorist group the terrorist attack on Bacha Khan International operating in Pakistan, but one of its most Airport in Peshawar in December 2012; the important commanders. killing of nine foreign tourists in June 2013 in Gilgat-Baltistan; the suicide attack on spectators In the first week of this year, it became public watching a parade at the Pakistan-Indian border knowledge that Ehsan Ullah Ehsan had escaped in November 2014 that killed 60 people; the from the custody of security forces and rejoined assassination of the provincial home minister of TTP ranks somewhere in eastern Afghanistan Punjab in August 2015; and the Easter Day (his claim that he had reached Turkey is believed suicide attack on Christians in March 2016, to be a diversion). Ehsan’s escape has turned out which killed 72 people (Geo News, April 26, to be an important development in the context 2017). During his time in security forces’ custody, of the ongoing Afghan peace talks, which have Ehsan provided crucial information about TTP put TTP’s future in question. Moreover, a leadership, including details of the leadership’s seasoned commander has returned to TTP’s move to Afghanistan following Pakistan’ military ranks, and this is crucial for its resurgence in operation in North Waziristan district. From Pakistan given Ehsan’s extensive experience in their new location in eastern Afghanistan, they planning and carrying out terrorist attacks in the planned terrorist attacks. country. In February, after a long delay, Pakistan’s interior minister confirmed Ehsan’s How and why Ehsan surrendered to the escape. (Geo News, February 17). authorities, or whether he was arrested by law enforcement bodies, is unknown. His surrender was announced by Lt. General Asif Ghafoor, !3 VOLUME XI, ISSUE 3, MARCH 2020 THE JAMESTOWN FOUNDATION director general of the Pakistani military’s media mention on whose approval this wing, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) accord was made with me. And (Al-Jazeera, April, 17, 2017). The news marked what were the terms and the first ever surrender of a high-profile TTP conditions of the agreement and leader in Pakistan. Ehsan was added to the U.S. which prominent figure had list of specially designated terrorists in April assured me that the agreement will 2018 (U.S. Treasury Department, April 2, 2018). be implemented,” (News Ehsan had earlier been a spokesperson for International, February 7). Jamaat ul Ahrar (JuA) (Express Tribune, February 17). JuA is a faction of TTP, which is While details have not emerged about how he not a monolithic entity but rather an umbrella managed to escape, the news of it created group representing a number of Pakistani fissures in Pakistani society.
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