Thaindian News

Islamabad, Jan 15 (IANS) The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Friday confirmed that its chief, Hakimullah Mehsud, was injured in a US attack which struck at a militants’ hideout in South Waziristan on Thursday.
A private TV channel quoted local officials and the TTP as saying Mehsud was in the house in Shaktoi village and that a meeting of foreign militants was underway when the US drone struck.

Two foreign militants and eight local fighters were among the 10 killed in the attack, while eight others, including Mehsud, were injured.

Mehsud, who received head injuries, is being treated at undisclosed location and his condition was described as being out of danger, Online news agency quoted sources as saying.

A vehicle belonging to Mehsud was destroyed in the attack, the sources added.

Earlier Friday, Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik said it was not clear whether Mehsud was dead or alive.

“We are not clear whether Hakimullah Mehsud was among the killed in a US drone strike or someone who resembles him was killed,” he told reporters outside parliament.

Hakimullah Mehsud had taken over the reins of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) after its previous chief, Baitullah Mehsud was killed in a US drone strike last August.

The Pakistani military is currently engaged in a major offensive against the Taliban in the neighbouring South Waziristan Agency and claims to have eliminated some 1,000 militants.

The operations had begun in October 2009 after the security forces had cleared Swat and three other districts of the North West Frontier Province of the militants, killing some 1,500 guerrillas.