KABUL: In a stunning and highly controversial development, an official of the interim Taliban administration in Afghanistan (IEA) has publicly shared a medical test report on social media allegedly showing that banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Noor Wali Mehsud has tested positive for HIV.
The official, whose identity has not been officially disclosed, posted a laboratory test document originating from a Kabul-based medical facility, alongside an appeal for prayers for Mehsud’s recovery. The post has since gone viral, triggering shockwaves across regional security circles and within the militant group itself.
While the authenticity of the medical report could not be independently verified, the revelation has inadvertently provided yet another public confirmation of the TTP leadership’s open and safe presence on Afghan soil—a longstanding point of friction between Islamabad and Kabul. Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban to take action against TTP operatives using Afghan territory to launch attacks across the border.
Beyond the diplomatic implications, the disclosure has reportedly caused significant confusion and deep resentment among TTP fighters and rank-and-file members. Sources suggest that the news has demoralized certain factions within the organization, with many expressing anger over the personal health matter being made public, while others are grappling with the broader implications for the group’s leadership structure.
Neither the Afghan Taliban administration nor the TTP has issued an official statement denying or confirming the report at the time of this filing. However, the social media post has already intensified scrutiny over the close ties between the IEA and the TTP, which Pakistan officially designates as Fitnat al-Khawarij.
