Hakeemullah's take over as TTP chief 'speculative': MalikAugust 25th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Interior Advisor Rehman Malik has rejected reports about Hakeemullah Mehsud being appointed as the new chief of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). In an interview with the state television, Malik said reports about Hakeemullah taking over the TTP's command were merely 'speculations'.
Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud is alive, says rebel commanderAugust 24th, 2009 WANA - A commander of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Monday said his organisation will select a new chief in the next five days according to the instruction of their leader Baitullah Mehsud, a media report said. Waliur Rehman, commander of the group in South Waziristan, said: We have thousands of suicide attackers, who can destroy their (government) targets anywhere.
Taliban commander says Baitullah alive, wants new TTP chiefAugust 24th, 2009 WANA - Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud wants the Taliban council to choose their new head within THE next five days, according to commander Waliur Rehman. Talking to a foreign news agency, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) South Waziristan Amir Waliur Rehman said, "We have thousands of suicide attackers, who can destroy their targets anywhere."
Waliur Rehman added that Baitullah Mehsud is alive; but is seriously ailing.
Hakimullah Mehsud appointed head of Pakistani TalibanAugust 22nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - A 42-member tribal gathering Saturday appointed Hakimullah Mehsud as the new head of the Pakistani Taliban though the group insists its previous head Baitullah Mehsud is still alive. Talking to BBC from an unknown location, acting TTP head Moulvi Faqir Muhammad categorically refuted reports that Baitullah Mehsud had been killed in a US drone attack last week.
Hakeemullah Mehsud named new Pak Taliban chiefAugust 22nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has declared Hakeemullah Mehsud as the successor to Baitullah Mehsud. TTP spokesman Maulvi Faqir Muhammad announced Hakeemullah's appointment while claiming that Baitullah was alive, the News reports.
Taliban leader who was declared dead lays bare Pak Govt's claimsAugust 11th, 2009 PESHAWAR - Pakistan Government's claims about the killing of the top Taliban leadership were laid bare when Baitullah Mehsud's close aide Hakimullah Mehsud, who was declared dead in an intra-group clash, himself told the media he was alive. "Look, I am here, safe and sound," Hakimullah, 30, said in a telephone call to journalists from an undisclosed location.
Mehsud's death will be confirmed after receiving 'solid evidence': MalikAugust 11th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has still not confirmed the death of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud, as it lacks credible evidence. Interior Advisor Rehman Malik said news about Mehsud's death would be confirmed by the government once it gets 'solid evidence' in this regard.
ak Interior Affairs Adviser says Taliban should prove their leaders are aliveAugust 10th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's Adviser on Interior Affairs, Rehman Malik, has challenged the Taliban to prove that its leaders are still alive, in the wake of reports that Baitullah Mehsud and Hakimullah Mehsud have been killed. Malik is reported to have told the BBC that "physical evidence" showed that Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud had been killed in a US missile attack on Wednesday and added that intelligence reports have suggested that a potential successor was later killed in a shootout.
Baitullah is alive, claims Hakeemullah MehsudAugust 10th, 2009 WANA - Militant commander Hakeemullah Mehsud said that no scuffle occurred between him and Waliur Rehman. Talking to Geo News, Hakeemullah said he is quite safe, hale and hearty.
Pak challenges Taliban to prove Mehsud is still aliveAugust 9th, 2009 LONDON - Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik has challenged the Taliban to prove that their top leaders-Baitullah Mehsud and Hakimullah Mehsud-are still alive. "If Baitullah Mehsud is alive, or Hakimullah is alive, why don't they bring out a video.
Anyone killed in US drone attacks is a martyr: Fazlur RehmanAugust 8th, 2009 LAHORE - Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman has said that Baitullah Mehsud had been 'martyred' in the US drone attack, and added that he termed anyone killed in a US attack a 'martyr'. Rehman said that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl did not support US action in Pakistan.
Betullah Mehsud still alive, claims close aideAugust 8th, 2009 LONDON - A lieutenant of Pakistan's enemy no. 1 Baitullah Mehsud on Saturday rejected reports of the Pak-Taliban chief's death in a US drone strike.
Baitullah Mehsud's aide held in PakistanJuly 8th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud's aide Wafa Mohammad was held Wednesday in a town in the North West Frontier Province, a media report said. Wafa Mohammad and his four sons were held in Takhtbai town, Express TV reported.
Rival commander Zainuddin killed on Mehsud's behestJune 24th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - No militant organization has taken responsibility for the murder of former close aide of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud, Qari Zainuddin, yet, but its is believed that the TTP chief has ordered his associates to kill Zainuddin. Zainuddin, who parted ways with the TTP chief, had recently termed Mehsud as 'unIslamic' which obviously infuriated him, The Daily Times reports.
Mehsud masterminded Benazir's murder, says former aideJune 19th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - A militant leader who broke away with Pakistan's Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud has accused him of killing former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, a media report said Friday. Haji Turkistan Baetani, former right-hand man of Mehsud, claimed that Mehsud had planned the assassination of Bhutto.