Fedayeen al-Islam (also spelled ''Fedayan-i-Islam'', variously translated as "Islamic Commandos" or "Islamic Patriots") is a militant group in
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
under the leadership of
Hakimullah Mehsud
Hakimullah Mehsud (Pashto/ ur, حکیم اللہ محسود; − 1 November 2013), born Jamshed Mehsud () and also known as Zulfiqar Mehsud (), was a Pakistani militant who was the second emir of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan. He was deputy to comm ...
, who was a deputy to
Baitullah Mehsud
Baitullah Mehsud ( Pashto/ ur, ; – 5 August 2009) was one of founder and a leading member of TTP in Waziristan, Pakistan, and the leader of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He formed the TTP from an alliance of about five militant gr ...
in the
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
The Pakistani Taliban (), formally called the Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan (Urdu/ ps, , lit=Student Movement of Pakistan, TTP), is an umbrella organization of various Islamist armed militant groups operating along the Afghan–Pakistani bo ...
(TTP) prior to Baitullah's death.
After Baitullah's death in August 2009, Hakimullah assumed leadership of the TTP.
Alleged attacks
Islamabad Hotel Bombing
The group claimed responsibility for the
Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing[ Pakistan hit by smaller attacks, killing at last 10]
After the Islamabad Marriott Hotel bombing, the group called Arabiya's correspondent in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. The correspondent said he received a
text message
Text messaging, or texting, is the act of composing and sending electronic messages, typically consisting of alphabetic and numeric characters, between two or more users of mobile devices, desktops/laptops, or another type of compatible comput ...
on his mobile phone showing a telephone number. He said he called the number and then heard a recording in which the group admitted launching Saturday's attack. The Arabiya television correspondent said the speaker spoke in English with a South Asian accent. The Fedayeen Islam group has issued several demands including for Pakistan to stop its cooperation with the United States.
Lahore Police Academy Attacks
Fedayeen al-Islam claimed responsibility for the
2009 Lahore police academy attacks
At 07:31 on 30 March 2009, the Manawan Police Academy in Lahore, Pakistan, was attacked by an estimated 12 gunmen. The perpetrators were armed with automatic weapons and grenades or rockets and some were dressed as policemen. They took over t ...
2009 April 4 Islamabad Attack
Febayeen al-Islam claimed responsibility for a
suicide bombing in the capital that killed eight troops.
[
]
2009 April 5 Chakwal Attack
The group also claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that targeted a Shia
Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib as his successor (''khalīfa'') and the Imam (spiritual and political leader) after him, mo ...
mosque in Chakwal
Chakwal (Punjabi and ur, ) is a city in Rawalpindi Division, Punjab province, Pakistan.
It is the 66th largest city of Pakistan by population. Chakwal is located 90 kilometres south-west of the federal capital, Islamabad and 270 kilomet ...
, Punjab province. 24 people died in the attack.[
]
References
Jihadist groups affiliated to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
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