Thaindian News

Islamabad, Aug 25 (DPA) Pakistani Taliban Tuesday admitted that its top leader Baitullah Mehsud had died after being injured in a missile attack carried out by a US pilotless drone aircraft earlier this month.
Two Taliban commanders Hakimullah Mehsud and Wali ur Rehman told reporters by telephone from an undisclosed location that Baitullah Mehsud was wounded Aug 5 in a drone attack when he was at the residence of his father-in-law in the tribal district of South Waziristan that borders Afghanistan.

“Amir Sahab (Baitullah) was injured in the drone attack but he was martyred only Sunday,” said Hakimullah, adding that Taliban had denied the death since early August because Mehsud was only injured and under treatment. Rehman confirmed the statement.

It is the first time that the Taliban have officially acknowledged the death of Mehsud, who heads Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a loose organization of more than a dozen militant groups.

Rehman, who is a cousin of Mehsud, said Hakimullah has been chosen by Taliban shura (advisory council) as the new amir (head) of TTP, while denying the reports any differences between the two.

Hakimullah said Rehman had been appointed as the Taliban commander in the territory controlled by Mehsud tribes in South Waziristan.

Recently several media reports have said deadly infighting among the Taliban over the succession issue as well as vast financial assets controlled by Mehsud had ensued.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik claimed that Hakimullah had been killed in the factional fighting, but this version was denied by the Taliban.

The joint statement of the rival Taliban commanders might be a source of disappointment for Pakistani and US officials who had hoped extremist groups in TTP would split after Mehsud’s death and turn into easy prey for Pakistan’s security forces.