2/1/23, 8:34 AM Jamaat-ul-Ahrar - Wikipedia

Contents
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(Top)
1History

1.1Roots and development

1.2Relations with TTP

2Designation as terrorist organization

3Organizational structure

3.1Leaders

3.2Spokesmen

4Operation Khyber-1

5Claimed and alleged attacks

6Split

7See also

8References

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar

Jamat-ul-Ahrar

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Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (Arabic: ‫جماعة األحرار‬, romanized:  Jamā‘at ul-Āḥrār, "Assembly of the Free," Leaders
abbreviated as JuA[4]) was a terrorist organization that split away from Tehrik-i-Taliban Leader: Omar
Pakistan in August 2014.[5] The group came to prominence after it claimed responsibility for the Khalid
2014 Wagah border suicide attack. In October 2017, there were unconfirmed reports that Omar Khorasani †[1]
Khalid Khorasani, the leader of the JuA, had died from injuries sustained in a US drone strike in Former
Paktia Province, Afghanistan. In August 2020, it merged back to TTP. spokesperson:
Ehsanullah
History Ehsan 

Dates of operation August 2014–

August 2020[2]
Roots and development
Headquarters Nangarhar
In September 2014, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Fazlullah ousted Mohmand Agency chief Province,
Omar Khalid Khorasani (former leader of Ahrar-ul-Hind). Omar Khalid Khorasani and his Afghanistan
associates in Mohmand Agency had accused the TTP leadership of deviating from the TTP (Formerly)
ideology, leading to the formation of splinter group TTP Jamaat-ul-Ahrar. Active regions Pakistan
The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan was effectively divided into two factions. The original TTP is Afghanistan
headed by Fazlullah, who was elected in November 2013 following the killing of ex-chief Ideology Wahhabism
Hakimullah Mehsud in a U.S. drone strike. In February 2014, Ahrar-ul-Hind, headed by Umar Salafi jihadism
Qasmi (former leader in the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi) was formed after TTP opened peace talks with Takfirism
the Pakistani government. It later merged into Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a second splinter group that
broke away from Tehreek-i-Taliban in Pakistan on 4 September 2014, and named Omar Khalid Allies Al Qaeda[3]
Khorasani as its commander.[6] Opponents Pakistan
United States
Battles and wars War in North-West
Relations with TTP
Pakistan
The group had announced they would no longer recognize or obey Mullah Fazlullah as their Operation Zarb-
Emir.[7] In March 2015, the group's spokesman announced that it swore loyalty to main TTP e-Azb
leadership again.
Operation
Khyber-1
Designation as terrorist organization
Operation
On 6 July 2017, the Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee approved the addition of Ghazi
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar in the list of entities and individuals subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and
arms embargo. Pakistan had proposed this listing. It was designated as a Global Terrorist Organization under the SDN by the United
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States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, with addresses in Mohmand Tribal Agency, Bajaur Tribal Agency,
Khyber Tribal Agency, Arakzai Tribal Agency, Charsadda, Peshawar, Swat, Punjab Province, Pakistan.[8]

Organizational structure

Leaders
Omar Khalid Khorasani (also known as Abdul Wali) previously led a faction called Ahrar-ul-Hind. He was also one of the founding
members of the TTP and was a former journalist from Mohmand agency.[7] It was reported that a JuA spokesman Asad Mansoor
had told AFP news agency that Khorasani on 18 October 2017 had succumbed to his injuries received in a United States drone
strike in Paktia Province of Afghanistan.[9] Pajhwok Afghan News however stated that a source close to the group had denied his
death.[10] Long War Journal reported that a statement on Telegram issued under Khorasani's name denied his death, while
confirming the death of Khalifa Umar Mansour. The outlet noted that the spokesman operating the group’s Telegram account did not
announce his death.[11] His death also was not confirmed by United States.[10][11] Reports of Khorasani's death were proven false
when the United States added Khorasani to the U.S State Department's Rewards for Justice wanted list on March 7, 2018.[12] On 11
December 2020 Ziaulhaq Amarkhil the Governor of Nangarhar Province claimed on his Twitter account that Abdul Wali was killed by
National Directorate of Security in the Chaparhar District although his death was not been confirmed by the United States.[13] Abdul
Wali was killed in a blast caused by a roadside mine on 7 August 2022 in Barmal District, Paktika Province, Afghanistan.[14]

Spokesmen
Asad Mansoor

Former

Ehsanullah Ehsan, he surrendered himself to Pakistan's Security Forces in April 2017 [15] and escaped from his detention in
February 2020.[16]

Operation Khyber-1

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On 9 November, at least 13 militants were killed in security forces' offensive in Akakhel which included among the dead two suicide
bombers and a key commander. Ehsan confirmed that their key commander Abu Jandal was killed during the 9 November bombing in
Khyber Agency's Tirah Valley.[17]

Claimed and alleged attacks

2 November 2014, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility for the Wagah border attack in a
telephone call to Dawn from Afghanistan. "Some other groups have claimed responsibility of this attack, but these claims are
baseless. We will soon release the video of this attack," he said. "This attack is revenge for the killing of innocent people in North
Waziristan."[18]
7 November 2014, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for twin bombings that killed at least six people in Mohmand Agency.
The bombs targeted peace committee volunteers in Chinari village of Safi Tehsil. Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed responsibility and
vowed to continue attacking tribal peace committees.[19]
21 November 2014, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for a grenade attack on the membership camp of Muttahida Qaumi
Movement (MQM) in Orangi Town area of Karachi. Three members of the Sindh Assembly and 50 workers were injured.[20][21]
15 March 2015, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for twin bombings at a Roman Catholic church and Christ Church during
Sunday service at Youhanabad town of Lahore. At least 15 people were killed and seventy were wounded in the attacks.[22]
7 March 2016, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that left 11 dead and 15 wounded after a man blew
himself up outside a district court in the town of Shabqadar in the Charsadda District.[23]
27 March 2016, a spokesman for Taliban splinter group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaatul Ahrar says: 'We proudly take
responsibility for the suicide attack in a park in Lahore. Members of the Christian community who were celebrating Easter today
were our prime target' but that 'we didn't want to kill women and children. Our target were male members of the Christian
community'.[24] The nail-filled device near a children’s playground[25] killed over 70 people, reportedly mostly Muslim.[26] It was
described as an attempt by the group "to establish itself as the most aggressive and violent" Islamist group in Pakistan.[25]
On 16 September 2016, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed the responsibility of suicide attack in a local mosque of Tehsil Amabar in
Mohmand Agency, the attack killed at least 28 people and left 31 injured. In an emailed statement, TTP Jamaat-ul-Ahrar
spokesperson, Ehsanullah Ehsan, said a suicide bomber targeted the peace committee.[27]
On 13 February 2017, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed their involvement in a suicide attack targeting senior police officials at a protest
on Lahore's Mall Road. The attack left 13 people dead and injured 31 others. The dead include 6 police officials, including DIG City
Traffic Police Lahore Ahmad Mobin Zaidi and Acting DIG (Operations) Zahid Gondal. The terrorist outfit sent a text message to claim
their responsibility and later released a video message to warn off future attacks.[28][29][30]
On 31 March 2017, Jamaat-ul-Ahraar claimed responsibility of an attack in Parachinar that killed 24 and injured 68 people.[31]

Split

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JuA was split into two groups, with a video statement on 12 November 2017 announcing that the Hizbul Ahrar group, formed in
Nangarhar province of Afghanistan on 11 November, will be headed by militant commander Mukarram Khan. Khan had previously
served as an important commander and spokesman of JuA. The statement said that Khan left JuA because of differences with its chief
over "attacks against minority Christians, killing civilians, extortion, kidnapping for ransom and other acts he deemed un-Islamic".[32]
Since then, Hizbul Ahrar has claimed numerous attacks against police officers and army men, the modus operandi of the group is
mainly targeted assassinations and IED blasts.[33]

See also
Ehsanullah Ehsan
Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan
Fazlullah
Operation Black Thunderstorm
Operation Zarb-e-Azb
War in North-West Pakistan

References
1. "Rewards for Justice - Wanted for Terrorism - Abdul Wali" (https://rewardsforjustice.net/terrorist-rewards/abdul-wali/).
2. "Pakistani splinter group rejoins Taliban amid fears of isolation" (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-militants-alliance-idUSK
BN0M81WF20150312). Reuters. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
3. Pakistan (http://web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-bin/maps/view/pak). Mapping Militants. Stanford University.
4. "U.S. drone strike kills militant whose group killed 250 in Pakistan" (https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-drone-strike-kills-leader-pakistan
s-jamaat-ul-125654081.html). Reuters. 19 October 2017.
5. "Pakistan Taliban faction announce split, new leader" (https://web.archive.org/web/20141111065156/http://www.afp.com/en/node/27
99017/). Agence France-Presse. 4 September 2014. Archived from the original (http://www.afp.com/en/node/2799017/) on 11
November 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
6. "Taliban splinter group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar forms in northwestern Pakistan" (https://web.archive.org/web/20141104121410/http://pakista
nnewsviews.com/taliban-splinter-group-jamaat-ul-ahrar-forms-in-northwestern-pakistan/). Pakistannewsviews.com. Archived from
the original (http://pakistannewsviews.com/taliban-splinter-group-jamaat-ul-ahrar-forms-in-northwestern-pakistan/) on 4 November
2014. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
7. "TTP Chief Mullah Fazlullah ousts Commander Umar Khorasani" (http://www.dawn.com/news/1130446/ttp-chief-mullah-fazlullah-ous
ts-commander-umar-khorasani). 7 September 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
8. "JAMAAT-UL-AHRAR" (https://sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov/Details.aspx?id=20360). sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov. Retrieved
9 September 2022.

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9. "Pakistan militant leader 'killed by drone' in Afghanistan" (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41685674). BBC.

10. "Jamaatul Ahrar denies Khurasani's death in drone strike" (https://web.archive.org/web/20201003214825/https://www.pajhwok.com/
en/2017/10/21/jamaatul-ahrar-denies-khurasani%E2%80%99s-death-drone-strike). Pajhwok Afghan News. Archived from the
original (https://www.pajhwok.com/en/2017/10/21/jamaatul-ahrar-denies-khurasani%E2%80%99s-death-drone-strike) on 3 October
2020. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
11. "Leader of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar emerges after reports of his death" (https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2017/10/leader-of-jamaat-ul
-ahrar-emerges-after-reports-of-his-death.php). Long War Journal.
12. "Rewards for Justice - Wanted for Terrorism - Abdul Wali" (https://rewardsforjustice.net/english/abdul_wali.html).
13. @ZiaulhaqAmarkhi (11 December 2020). "‫د چپرهار ولسوالۍ په سرې کال سیمه کې تېره شپه د ملي امنیت ځآنګړو ځواکونو د عملیاتو پر مهال د دولتي کارکوونکو په‬
‫( " نښه کوونکی داعش عبدالولي د مقاومت پر مهال وژلی او د نصرت هللا مشهور په سعد سرحدي د څلورو نورو شکمنو کسانو سره یو ځای ژوندی نیول شوی دی‬https://twitter.
com/ZiaulhaqAmarkhi/status/1337262037760675840) (Tweet) – via Twitter.
14. "Three Senior Pakistani Taliban Commanders Killed in Blast in Afghanistan" (https://gandhara.rferl.org/a/pakistan-taliban-commande
rs-killed-abdul-wali/31977631.html).
15. "Prominent Pakistani Taliban leader 'surrenders' " (http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/04/pakistani-taliban-leader-ehsanullah-ehsa
n-surrenders-170417131146226.html).
16. "Ex-TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan escaped during anti-terror operation: sources" (https://tribune.com.pk/story/2152345/1-eh
sanullah-ehsan-escaped-anti-terror-operation-sources/). The Express Tribune. 7 February 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
17. Zahir Shah Sherazi (10 November 2014). "Jamaatul Ahrar confirms death of commander in Khyber airstrikes" (http://www.dawn.co
m/news/1143515/jamaatul-ahrar-confirms-death-of-commander-in-khyber-airstrikes). Retrieved 19 May 2015.
18. "TTP splinter groups claim Wagah attack; 60 dead" (http://www.dawn.com/news/1142006/ttp-splinter-groups-claim-wagah-attack-60-
dead). 2 November 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
19. Zahir Shah Sherazi (7 November 2014). "Twin blasts kill at least six people in Mohmand" (http://www.dawn.com/news/1142941/twin-
blasts-kill-at-least-six-people-in-mohmand). Retrieved 19 May 2015.
20. three members of the Sindh Assembly and 50 workers were injured in the grenade attack
21. "Jamaatul Ahrar claims responsibility for attack on MQM camp - PAKISTAN - geo.tv" (http://www.geo.tv/article-166470-Jamaatul-Ahr
ar-claims-responsibility-for-attack-on-MQM-camp). 21 November 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
22. "Deadly blasts hit Pakistan churches in Lahore" (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31894708). BBC. 15 March 2015. Retrieved
15 March 2015.
23. "A police official says a suicide bomber has attacked the entrance to a court in a northwestern Pakistan, killing 11 people" (https://w
ww.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2016-03-07/taliban-suicide-bomber-kills-11-outside-pakistani-court). U.S. News & World Report.
7 March 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
24. "69 killed as suicide blast rocks Lahore" (http://www.thenews.com.pk/print/108550-69-killed-as-suicide-blast-rocks-Lahore).
www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
25. Burke, Jason (28 March 2016). "Lahore bombing is faction's boldest bid to stake claim as Pakistan's most violent terrorists" (https://
www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/28/lahore-bombing-is-factions-boldest-bid-to-stake-claim-as-pakistans-most-violent-terrorist
s). The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0261-3077). Retrieved 28 March 2016.
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