masood became leader in 2018 when the u.n. later designated him a global terrorist and added him to the sanction list for his ties to al-qaeda. today he denies those al-qaeda links and that his group is still fighting alongside the afghan taliban. translator: our fight is only in pakistan, and we are at war with the pakistani security forces. we are firmly hoping to take control of the pakistani tribal border regions and make them independent. reporter: but while pakistan s army has fought a decades long counter insurgency against the ttp in pakistan, pakistan s intelligence service, the isi, and the army have backed the afghan taliban although they deny it. now as the afghan taliban win territory blowback for pakistan looms. the risk for pakistan is that
afghanistan. it s pakistan which will be in greater pain than afghanistan. it will be threatened much more. reporter: from his undisclosed location masood is coy, hinting that the gains that could be coming his way. translator: according to the teaching of islam victory of one muslim is necessarily helpful for another muslim, but how the victory of afghan taliban will prove helpful for the pakistani taliban, time will tell. reporter: in the meantime despite his denials expectation is masood s fighters will keep backing the afghan taliban. now, we sent masood about a dozen questions and he answered all of them. at times it appeared as if he was reading from a prepared script they looked at the questions and taking time to go through it and giving very concise answers. unlike a normal interview, of course, there wasn t the opportunity to follow up and push back on some of the assertions that he made.
as afghanistan s taliban gain ground so pakistan s taliban, the ttp, take heart. in his first ever tv interview their leader answers questions cnn sent him via intermediaries at an undisclosed location near the afghan-pakistan border. translator: the afghan taliban victy is the victory of the entire muslim people. reporter: masood s three predecessors were all killed by u.s. drone strikes for fighting alongside afghan taliban targeting u.s. sources. and the massacre of 145 people mostly children in a pakistan school in 2014.
victory of entire muslim people. our nations are based on brother hood, sympathy and islamic principles. reporter: masood s three predecessors were all killed in drone strikes. their bloody record includes the 2009 attack that killed nine people including seven cia officers and contractors at a base close to the pakistan border. and the massacre of 145 people mostly children in a pakistan school in 2014. masood became leader in 2018 when the u.n. later designated him a global terrorist and added him to the sanction list for his ties to al-qaeda. today he denies those al-qaeda links and that his group is still fighting alongside the afghan taliban. translator: our fight is only in pakistan, and we are at war with the pakistani security
the pakistani taliban time will tell. reporter: in the meantime despite his denials expectation is masood s fighters will keep backing the afghan taliban. nic robertson, cnn, london. tunisia s president has dismissed the prime minister and frozen the parliament in a move that sparked cheers in the capital. large crowds turning out in support though his opponents accuse him of launching a coup. the president said his actions are in line with the constitution and that he will assume executive authority with the assistance of a new prime minister. many protesters in tunisan voitsing their anger. jordan s king is calling his half brother s role in an