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India-Pakistan

TTP confirms commander Sajna killed in drone strike last week

2018-02-13

[DAWN] A Tehrik-e-Taliban ...Arabic for students... Pak (TTP) spokesperson has confirmed the death of TTP commander Khan Said Sajna in a recent US dronezap. Azam Tariq Mehsud said Commander Sajna was killed in last Thursday's strike in a village along the Pak-Afghan border. He said another commander, Mufti Noor Wali, has now been appointed in Sajna's place. Tariq says Wali enjoys the backing of Mullah Fazlullah ...son-in-law of holy man Sufi Mohammad. Known as Mullah FM, Fazlullah had the habit of grabbing his FM mike when the mood struck him and bellowing forth sermons. Sufi suckered the Pak govt into imposing Shariah on the Swat Valley and then stepped aside whilst Fazlullah and his Talibs imposed a reign of terror on the populace like they hadn't seen before, at least not for a thousand years or so. For some reason the Pak intel services were never able to locate his transmitter, much less bomb it. After ruling the place like a conquered province for a year or so, Fazlullah's Talibs began gobbling up more territory as they pushed toward Islamabad, at which point as a matter of self-preservation the Mighty Pak Army threw them out and chased them into Afghanistan... , the leader of the TTP who is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan. Sajna, 36, was believed to be involved in an attack on a Naval base in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... and is also credited with criminal masterminding a 2012 jailbreak in which the Taliban freed 400 inmates in the northwestern city of Bannu. "Sajna had no basic education, conventional or religious, but he was battle-hardened and had experience of fighting in Afghanistan," an official had said earlier.

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India-Pakistan

Senior TTP leader still alive? Drone 'targeting' Sajna kills 18 militants

2016-02-04

[DAWN] Eighteen Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) Death Eaters of the banned ...the word banned seems to have a different meaning in Pakistain than it does in most other places. Or maybe it simply lacks any meaning at all... organization's Sajna group were killed in a drone strike in Afghanistan's Paktika ...which coincidentally borders South Wazoo... province on Monday night, security sources said. Members of the TTP offshoot were holding a meeting in Paktika's Birmal area during which its leader Khan Said Sajna was expected to appear, sources said. It is pertinent to mention that Sajna was reported killed in a drone strike last year, but the information had not been independently verified. The Mehsud tribal faction, which Sajna heads, had not denied claims of Sajna's death at the time. Of the TTP men killed today, 14 belong to the Mehsud tribe and four to the Wazir tribe. Claims relating to the strike and the deaths could not be independently verified. Khan Said Sajna became TTP's deputy leader following the death of Wali-ur-Rehman in May 2013. He fought in Afghanistan and is believed to be involved in the attack on a Naval base in Bloody Karachi ...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous... Sajna is credited with criminal masterminding a 2012 jailbreak in which the Taliban freed 400 inmates from a prison in Bannu. Khan Said Sajna leads the Mehsud faction, which split from TTP in May 2014 after former TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a United States (US) drone strike. In a public statement following the split, he stated his continued commitment to terrorist activity. The US designated Sajna a global terrorist in Oct 2014.

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India-Pakistan

Taliban's Mehsud faction condemns attack on JUI-F chief

2014-10-26

[DAWN] The Taliban's Mehsud faction, led by Khan Said alias Sajna, has condemned the attack on Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam ...Assembly of Islamic Clergy, or JUI, is a Pak Deobandi (Hanafi) political party. There are two main branches, one led by Maulana Fazlur Rahman, and one led by Maulana Samiul Haq. Fazl is active in Pak politix and Sami spends more time running his madrassah. Both branches sponsor branches of the Taliban, though with plausible deniability... Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman Deobandi holy man, known as Mullah Diesel during the war against the Soviets, his sympathies for the Taliban have never been tempered by honesty ... and has said that attacks on Ulema were disgraceful. Azam Tariq, front man for the Mehsud Taliban, said the group condemned the attack and felt that those involved in similar incidents were against Learned Elders of Islam and Islam. Tariq, who had previously also served as the TTP front man under former Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud who was killed in a US drone strike on November 1, 2013, said that Khan Said Sajna was still the Ameer of the Taliban's Mehsud faction and that members of the group were united under his command. Earlier on Thursday, at least two people were killed and dozens had been injured when a suspected jacket wallah detonated his explosives outside a JUI-F rally in Quetta. Maulana Fazlur Rehman remained unhurt in the attack which targeted his bullet-proof vehicle. The banned krazed killer group Jundallah grabbed credit for the attack.

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India-Pakistan

Taliban infighting kills seven in NWA

2014-06-16

PESHAWAR: Fresh clashes between rival militant groups left seven dead on Sunday in Shawal Tehsil of North Waziristan Agency, as military launched a ‘comprehensive operation’ to eliminate Taliban and Qaeda militants in the tribal region. Two people were also injured in the militant infighting. Officials and tribal sources confirmed that the fresh clashes erupted between supporters of Sheharyar Mehsud and Khan Said Sajna groups. Over the last two months, the infighting within the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan factions has left over 100 dead and many more injured. The Sajna and Sheryar groups of the TTP have been at odds since the death of Hakimullah and Waliur Rehman Mehsud in US drone strikes. The rival factions have accused each other of grabbing power in order to control South Waziristan’s Mehsud tribal area. Sajna had been considered the right hand man of Waliur Rehman, whereas Sheryar was a confidant of Hakimullah Mehsud. Their slain leaders had also been at loggerheads after the death of TTP founder Baitullah Mehsud.

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India-Pakistan

Seven militants die in fresh Miramshah infighting

2014-06-07

[DAWN] Fresh festivities between the Pak Taliban and a breakaway faction killed at least seven hard boyz in the country's northwest on Friday, officials said. The fighting erupted in the Wacha Mela area 65 kilometres (40 miles) west of Miranshah ... headquarters of al-Qaeda in Pakistain and likely location of Ayman al-Zawahiri. The Haqqani network has established a ministate in centered on the town with courts, tax offices and lots of madrassas... , the capital of North Wazoo tribal district. Almost 100 hard boyz have been killed since supporters of commander Khalid Mehsud, alias Khan Said Sajna, and the followers of the slain former Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud began fighting in April. Khalid Mehsud's group last week split from the umbrella Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP). "The fresh festivities left seven hard boyz dead, five of them belonging to Hakimullah group," a local intelligence official told AFP. He said at least three rebels were maimed in the festivities. A myrmidon source also confirmed the festivities and fatalities.

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India-Pakistan

Pakistan jets kill 60 militants in tribal region

2014-05-22

[Times of India] ISLAMABAD: At least 60 militants were killed today in precision bombing by air force jets on Taliban targets in Pakistan's restive tribal region on the Afghan border, military officials said. Air force bombers pounded rebel positions in North Waziristan, which is one of seven tribal agencies where the al-Qaida-linked Pakistani Taliban have strongholds. A military official said on condition of anonymity that there were confirmed reports about the presence of the militants in the targeted areas. "As per reports so far, 60 hardcore terrorists including some of the important commanders and foreigners were also killed in the strikes and around 30 were injured," the official said. He said, a huge cache of arms and ammunition including IED-making explosive material has also been destroyed in the strikes. "There are confirmed reports that terrorists involved in recent attacks including IDP (internally displaced people) camp blast in Peshawar, IED (improvised explosives device) attacks in Mohmand and Bajaur killing innocent civilians and security forces and IED attacks at security forces convoy in NWA (North Waziristan Agency), were hiding in these hideouts," said the official. There was no independent confirmation of the reported strikes and death toll as the areas are remote and out of reach of the news media. Pakistan's army has adopted a policy of aerial strikes in response to bombings by the Taliban. General Raheel Sharif since taking over as army chief last year has announced tough measures in response to Taliban attacks on security forces and civilians. Use of aerial strikes was put on hold after announcement of talks by the government in January but negotiations are stalled and the Taliban have resorted to bombings, forcing the army to launch new air attacks. An Nahar adds: An AFP news hound in the district said helicopter gunships and ground troops were firing on targets in and around the town of Mir Ali, and local rustics had been ordered to evacuate. An intelligence official added that the Datta Khel and Ghulam Ali areas were also targeted. North Wazoo is one of the seven rugged semi-autonomous tribal areas along the Afghan border, an area long tagged by Washington as the most dangerous place in the world. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... 's government began negotiations with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) through intermediaries in February, with a ceasefire beginning March 1 but breaking down a month later. Analyst Hasan Askari said the strikes were in line with the military's policy of retaliating to attacks the bad boys' headquarters. "There is also realization among government that the dialogue is more or less dead," he added. Since the TTP launched their insurgency in 2007, more than 6,800 people have been killed in bomb and gun attacks around Pakistain, according to an AFP tally. There have also been festivities between supporters of TTP commander Khan Said Sajna and followers of the late TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud. The group has long been riven by infighting and the feud began after Sajna, a senior commander, was rejected for the leadership following the killing of then-leader Mehsud last November, gunnies say. Sajna had been seen as a strong candidate to become TTP chief following Mehsud's death. But the movement's ruling council at the last minute elected Mullah Fazlullah ...son-in-law of holy man Sufi Mohammad. Known as Mullah FM, Fazlullah had the habit of grabbing his FM mike when the mood struck him and bellowing forth sermons. Sufi suckered the Pak govt into imposing Shariah on the Swat Valley and then stepped aside whilst Fazlullah and his Talibs imposed a reign of terror on the populace like they hadn't seen before, at least not for a thousand years or so. For some reason the Pak intel services were never able to locate his transmitter, much less bomb it. After ruling the place like a conquered province for a year or so, Fazlullah's Talibs began gobbling up more territory as they pushed toward Islamabad, at which point as a matter of self-preservation the Mighty Pak Army threw them out and chased them into Afghanistan... , who hails from Swat ...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat... and is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan.

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India-Pakistan

Six militants killed in S. Waziristan blast

2014-05-02

[DAWN] Six hard boys, among them a Taliban leader, were killed when their vehicle hit a roadside kaboom in Ladha sub-division of South Wazoo Agency, official sources said on Wednesday. Initial reports said that Amir Hamza, a leader of the Khan Said Sajna group, an offshoot of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP), was among the dead. Taliban sources neither confirmed nor denied reports about the killing of Amir Hamza and his five associates in the incident that took place in Zangara area on Tuesday. No group grabbed credit for the attack. An official source said the bomb might have been planted by a rival group of the Sajna group as differences among various factions of the TTP further widened. The attack occurred five days after a ceasefire had supposedly ended the feud between supporters of Sajna and followers of the late Hakeemullah Mehsud, according to AFP. On the other hand, TTP leaders claimed that security forces had suffered heavy casualties in festivities with forces of Evil which continued in Bobar area for the third day on Wednesday. Talking to this correspondent from an undisclosed place, they said five helicopter gunships pounded Taliban locations on Wednesday. But there were no casualties because the locations had been abandoned by forces of Evil before the attacks, they said. They claimed that about 30 soldiers had been killed and 12 nomads injured in the three-day skirmishes.

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India-Pakistan

Afghan Taliban Broker Ceasefire between Rival Pakistan Factions

2014-04-26

[An Nahar] The Afghan Taliban said Friday they have brokered a ceasefire between two rival factions of the Pak Taliban, halting a fresh wave of infighting that has killed more than 60 people. The deadly bout of violence erupted earlier this month between supporters of commander Khan Said Sajna and followers of the late Hakimullah Mehsud in the restive tribal areas of North Wazoo. Both factions are part of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) umbrella group, which has been waging a bloody seven-year insurgency against the state. Pamphlets distributed on Friday in Miranshah ... headquarters of al-Qaeda in Pakistain and likely location of Ayman al-Zawahiri. The Haqqani network has established a ministate in centered on the town with courts, tax offices and lots of madrassas... , the main town of North Waziristan, noted that the ceasefire would hold until August 12. Written in the native Pushto language, it said the ceasefire was brokered by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the formal name of the Afghan Taliban's 1996-2001 government in Kabul. A senior commander of one of the Pak factions confirmed the deal. "We will strictly follow the ceasefire," the commander of the Khan Sajna group told Agence La Belle France Presse. The infighting began after Sajna, a senior commander, was rejected for the TTP leadership following the killing of then-leader Mehsud last November, faceless myrmidons say. The TTP has long been riven by infighting. Sajna had been seen as a strong candidate to become TTP chief following Mehsud's death. But the movement's ruling council at the last minute elected Mullah Fazlullah ...son-in-law of holy man Sufi Mohammad. Known as Mullah FM, Fazlullah had the habit of grabbing his FM mike when the mood struck him and bellowing forth sermons. Sufi suckered the Pak govt into imposing Shariah on the Swat Valley and then stepped aside whilst Fazlullah and his Talibs imposed a reign of terror on the populace like they hadn't seen before, at least not for a thousand years or so. For some reason the Pak intel services were never able to locate his transmitter, much less bomb it. After ruling the place like a conquered province for a year or so, Fazlullah's Talibs began gobbling up more territory as they pushed toward Islamabad, at which point as a matter of self-preservation the Mighty Pak Army threw them out and chased them into Afghanistan... , who hails from Swat ...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat... and is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan.

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India-Pakistan

Afghan Taliban seek tribesmen's help to stop TTP infighting

2014-04-15

[DAWN] A pamphlet attributed to the Afghan Taliban and distributed in parts of North Wazoo Agency has confirmed serious differences among the Mehsud Taliban and the infighting which has left a number of turbans killed on both sides. The Pashto language Pamphlet, with letter head of Afghan Taliban's chief Mullah Umar, has not only mentioned the conflict among the Mehsud Taliban groups which forms major part of TTP but also appealed to the local rustics to pray and resolve the conflict. The pamphlet has also appealed to the Taliban groups to play their role in defusing the tension and stopping the infighting between Hakimullah Mehsud group led by Sheryar Mehsud and Khan Said Sajna group, affiliated earlier to Waliur Rehman Mehsud group. The authenticity of the letter, however, could not be verified from the Afghan Taliban but a copy of the letter is available with Dawn.com. On the other hand a member of the Hakimullah Mehsud group, Haji Daud who claimed to be its front man has also confirmed to the media that their group is in conflict with Khan Said Sajna group. He said that the Sajna group wanted to take over the Meshsud Taliban's command and establish its authority in South Waziristan's Mehsud belt which was not acceptable to them. Daud added that the group would accept the authority of any group only if endorsed by TTP chief Mullah Fazlullah ...son-in-law of holy man Sufi Mohammad. Known as Mullah FM, Fazlullah had the habit of grabbing his FM mike when the mood struck him and bellowing forth sermons. Sufi suckered the Pak govt into imposing Shariah on the Swat Valley and then stepped aside whilst Fazlullah and his Talibs imposed a reign of terror on the populace like they hadn't seen before, at least not for a thousand years or so. For some reason the Pak intel services were never able to locate his transmitter, much less bomb it. After ruling the place like a conquered province for a year or so, Fazlullah's Talibs began gobbling up more territory as they pushed toward Islamabad, at which point as a matter of self-preservation the Mighty Pak Army threw them out and chased them into Afghanistan... . The umbrella TTP group on the other hand has termed the internal rift a petty issue and had blamed the media for creating hype. A key member of the TTP shura, Azam Tariq told Dawn.com that the Mehsud Taliban's dispute has been resolved and it was not a "big problem" any more. About the extension in ceasefire with the government and other issues, he said that reports about it were premature and the matter would be decided by the Shura soon. He said that a ceasefire has been established between the two Taliban groups and there would be no more fighting between them. The armed festivities between the Death Eater groups over a period of a week have left over 40 turbans dead on both sides.

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India-Pakistan

Several TTP militants killed in latest Waziristan infighting

2014-04-12

[DAWN] Several are being reported killed in infighting between two distraught Tehrik-e-Taliban factions between whom fighting intensified on Friday in Wazoo. Both factions are part of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP) umbrella group, which has been waging a bloody seven-year insurgency against the Pak state. The clash started a few days ago and the cause of infighting was said to be over interference in matters inside one another's domains. In the latest clash, six Taliban fighters were killed in a remote controlled IED attack on the vehicle of Hakimullah Mehsud group's top commander Sheryar Mehsud in Shawal area of North Waziristan Agency. Official sources said that the vehicle of Sheryar Mehsud was targetted by rival Khan said Sjana group as the two groups continue to target each other. At least 19 Death Eaters of the two TTP groups have been killed on Friday alone in three different attacks in Shawal and Dattakhel area ... which is owned and operated by Hafiz Gul Behadur... s of the agency. The top TTP leadership has also reached Waziristan to resolve the conflict. On the other hand, the bully boy outfit's leadership is also divided on the ceasefire with the government as no formal extension in ceasefire has been announced despite the end of the earlier deadline of April 10 yesterday. Cause for strife Fighters from both sides have been launching attacks in the areas of Shawal, Shaktoi, Makin and Tank with heavy ammunition and artillery in an attempt to destroy one another's sanctuaries. Moreover, the internal strife between the two groups is now spilling onto the other areas of the region. The TTP has remained silent on the matter of infighting in which over 30 deaths have been reported over a couple of days. The festivities first erupted on Sunday in Shawal between supporters of Khan Said Sajna and followers of the late Hakimullah Mehsud group. Militant sources had earlier suggested that differences emerged after Sajna, a senior commander, was rejected for the TTP leadership, after then-leader Mehsud was killed in a US drone strike last November. The TTP has long been driven by infighting. Sajna had been seen as a strong candidate to become TTP chief following Mehsud's death. But the movement's ruling council at the last minute elected Mullah Fazlullah ...son-in-law of holy man Sufi Mohammad. Known as Mullah FM, Fazlullah had the habit of grabbing his FM mike when the mood struck him and bellowing forth sermons. Sufi suckered the Pak govt into imposing Shariah on the Swat Valley and then stepped aside whilst Fazlullah and his Talibs imposed a reign of terror on the populace like they hadn't seen before, at least not for a thousand years or so. For some reason the Pak intel services were never able to locate his transmitter, much less bomb it. After ruling the place like a conquered province for a year or so, Fazlullah's Talibs began gobbling up more territory as they pushed toward Islamabad, at which point as a matter of self-preservation the Mighty Pak Army threw them out and chased them into Afghanistan... , who hails from Swat ...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat... and is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan.

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India-Pakistan

Hakimullah Mehsud drone strike: 'Death of peace efforts'

2013-11-02

[BBC.CO.UK] Pakistan's interior minister has said the death of Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud has destroyed the country's nascent peace process. Somehow my caremeter just isn't sparkin'... The official Rantburg Sympathy Meter™ didn't budge so much as 0.1 givashits... "This is not just the killing of one person, it's the death of all peace efforts," Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said. it's the size of the poop we give about your peace process. Pakistan's security forces have been put on high alert following the US drone strike on Friday. Insert horse, barn door analogy... It came a day before a government delegation had been due to fly to North Waziristan to meet Mehsud. That meeting's cancelled... Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had pledged to talk with the Taliban to try to end its campaign of violence, which has left thousands dead in bombings and shootings across the country. Hakimullah's campaign of violence has ceased. Somebody else's campaign will now commence. Talk to him. Militants have in the past carried out retaliatory attacks after the killings of other Taliban commanders. They keep carrying out "retaliatory attacks" whether we've whacked anybody or not. It's their nature. Mehsud was killed along with four other people - including two of his bodyguards - when four missiles struck their vehicle in the north-western region of North Waziristan, a senior Taliban official told the BBC. Such is the destiny of all Pak Taliban leaders, though not, so far, of Afghan Taliban leaders. That fact raises a few interesting questions. Pakistani media say Mehsud's funeral has taken place at an unknown location in the tribal area of North Waziristan. "Is that his thumb?" "Yeah, I think so." "Toss it in." The Taliban's ruling council met on Saturday to choose a new leader. Unconfirmed reports say regional commander Khan Said Sajna has been elected to the top job. The premium on his life insurance policy just jumped dramatically. As well as Mehsud, the previous Pakistan Taliban leader was killed in a drone strike, in 2009. And the one before him. Caitlin Hayden, a spokesperson for the US president's National Security Council, would not comment on any US government involvement or confirm the death but said it would be a serious loss for the group. "Coulda been anybody, y'know. We ain't the only ones that didn't like him..." The Pakistan government has strongly condemned the drone attack as a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty. They always do, don't they? Like clockwork. Mehsud's death is seen as another setback for the militant group after the recent capture of a senior commander by US forces in Afghanistan. We concentrate on Wazoo because that's where the al-Qaeda leadership lives, and where the Haqqanis rule. Mehsud, who led the insurgency from North Waziristan, had a $5m (£3.1m) FBI bounty on his head and was thought to be responsible for the deaths of thousands of people. I'm sure he only shot a few of them personally. He came to prominence in 2007 as a commander under the militant group's founder Baitullah Mehsud, with the capture of 300 Pakistani soldiers adding to his prestige among the militants. "Ugh! Hakimullah count many coup!" His second-in-command, Waliur Rehman, was killed in a similar drone strike in May. That was a violation of Pak sovereignty, too. But BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins says that however weakened the Taliban may be by this loss, they will fight on under a new leader. Unless they don't, of course. Predicting the likely is easy money. In a rare interview two weeks ago, Mehsud told the BBC he was open to "serious talks" with the government but said he had not yet been approached. That's because the govt hadn't capitulated to all his demands yet... Mehsud denied carrying out recent deadly attacks in public places, saying his targets were "America and its friends". "Yeah. We're only after them danged infidels. And girls that go to school. And people who ain't devout enough..." He had loose control over more than 30 militant groups in Pakistan's tribal areas. Rather than maintaining lunatic asylums, Pakistain has militant groups. They have thirty of them to cater to various types of psychosis.

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India-Pakistan

Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud killed in drone attack

2013-11-02

[Dawn] Hakimullah Mehsud, the chief of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain (TTP), was killed in a US drone strike in North Wazoo tribal agency on Friday, intelligence officials and Pak Taliban said. Intelligence officials said the Pak Taliban supremo was leaving from a meeting at a mosque in Dande Darpakhel area of North Waziristan when the drone targeted their vehicle. Pak Talibs said that funeral for the TTP chief will be held tomorrow afternoon at some holy man's guesthouse an undisclosed location in North Waziristan. Pakistain government is, however, yet to confirm the death of Hakimullah Mehsud. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told a private TV channel that he could not confirm reports of the TTP chief's death. Five Death Eaters, including Abdullah Bahar Mehsud and Tariq Mehsud, both key Death Eater commanders and close aides of the TTP chief, were also killed with two others injured in the drone strike, multiple sources confirmed. The Taliban sources told Dawn.com that Hakimullah was shifted to a hospital after the drone strike but he departed this vale of tears on the way. The locals said the drones had been carrying out low flights in various parts of North Waziristan since morning. The South Waziristan Taliban chief, Khan Said Sajna alias Khalid is likely to succeed Hakimullah Mehsud as TTP chief. Chief of Mohmand Taliban Umar Khalid Khurasani is also a strong contestant for the slot as he is the only surviving senior Taliban capo who had directly commanded operations under Hakimullah. Mullah Fazlullah ...son-in-law of holy man Sufi Mohammad. Known as Mullah FM, Fazlullah had the habit of grabbing his FM mike when the mood struck him and bellowing forth sermons. Sufi suckered the Pak govt into imposing Shariah on the Swat Valley and then stepped aside whilst Fazlullah and his Talibs imposed a reign of terror on the populace like they hadn't seen before, at least not for a thousand years or so. For some reason the Pak intel services were never able to locate his transmitter, much bomb it. After ruling the place like a conquered province for a year or so, Fazlullah's Talibs began gobbling up more territory as they pushed toward Islamabad, at which point as a matter of self-preservation the Mighty Pak Army threw them out and chased them into Afghanistan... , the chief of the Swat ...a valley and an administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistain, located 99 mi from Islamabad. It is inhabited mostly by Pashto speakers. The place has gone steadily downhill since the days when Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat... Taliban, is another senior Taliban capo but unlikely to replace the assassinated TTP chief for not belonging to Mehsud clan. Foreign news agency AP reports that a senior US intelligence official confirmed the strike overnight, saying the US received positive confirmation Friday morning that he had been killed. The CIA and the White House declined to comment on the reported death. The US National Counterterrorism Center describes Mehsud as "the self-proclaimed amir of the Pak Taliban." Speaking to Dawn, Jen Psaki, the spokesperson for the US State Department said: "We have seen those reports but we don't have anything for you on that. The reports just came out. We have a close cooperative relationship with Pakistain on various issues, including counter-terrorism but I do not have anything specific for you on Pakistain on this report." Reacting to the incident, Pakistain Tehrik-e-Insaf ...a political party in Pakistan. PTI was founded by former Pakistani cricket captain and philanthropist Imran Khan. The party's slogan is Justice, Humanity and Self Esteem, each of which is open to widely divergent interpretations.... (PTI) chief Imran Khan ... aka Taliban Khan, who is the lightweight's lightweight... -- a strong opponent of US drone strikes -- demanded the government to immediately block the NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It's headquartered in Belgium. That sez it all.... supplies going through the country. His party is set to table resolutions in KP Assembly and National Assembly on Monday in this regard. Mehsud has been reported dead several times before. But late on Friday, several intelligence, army and Death Eater sources across the country confirmed he had been killed in the strike in the lawless North Waziristan region bordering Afghanistan. Meanwhile, ...back at the the conspirators' cleverly concealed hideout the long-awaited message arrived. They quickly got to work with their decoder rings... strongly condemning the Friday's US drone attack in North Waziristan, Pakistain government reiterated that these strikes are a violation of illusory sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. Foreign Office Spokesman Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry in a statement said that there was an across the board consensus in Pakistain that these drone strikes must end. He said the government has consistently maintained that drone strikes are counter-productive, entail loss of innocent civilian lives and have human rights ...which often include carefully measured allowances of freedom at the convenience of the state... and humanitarian implications. Such strikes also set dangerous precedents in the inter-state relations, he added. The front man said these strikes have a negative impact on the mutual desire of both US and Pakistain to forge a cordial and cooperative relationship and to ensure peace and stability in the region. Hakimullah Mehsud: A brief profile Dande Darpakhel area is located five kilometres (three miles) north of Miranshah ... headquarters of al-Qaeda in Pakistain and likely location of Ayman al-Zawahiri. The Haqqani network has established a ministate in centered on the town with courts, tax offices and lots of madrassas... , the main town of the North Waziristan tribal region, said to be a stronghold for the Pak Taliban. The strike came a day after three Death Eaters were killed in another drone attack that also targeted an al-Qaeda fortress near Miranshah. The US unmanned plane was still flying in the area after the attack. Condemning the drone strikes, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar had earlier said these were aimed at sabotaging efforts to establish peace in the country. "A delegation was about to be sent to talk to Taliban tomorrow (Saturday)," said the minister hinting that a "senior Death Eater commander" may have been killed in today's strike. Pak Taliban front man Shahidullah Shahid earlier today said they have had "no contact" with the government, a day after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... said a process to initiate peace talks had been started. The incident comes a week after Sharif urged US President Barack Obama Republicans can come along for the ride, but they've got to sit in the back... to stop drone strikes during a meeting in Washington. The Pak defence ministry Wednesday said 317 US drone strikes in the country's tribal areas had killed 67 civilians and 2,160 bully boyz in Pakistain since 2008. US drone attacks are deeply unpopular in Pakistain, but Washington sees them as a vital tool in the fight against bully boyz in the lawless tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan. The Pak government has repeatedly protested against drone strikes as a violation of its illusory sovereignty. But privately officials have been reported as saying the attacks can be useful in removing bully boyz from the country.

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