Baitullah is alive, claims Hakeemullah Mehsud

August 26th, 2009 DERA ISMAIL KHAN - The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan has acknowledged that its top leader Baitullah Mehsud was dead, ending weeks of claims and counter-claims over his fate following a US missile strike on his father-in-law's house earlier this month. It is the first time that the militant group has acknowledged his death.

August 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'.

August 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.

August 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.

August 23rd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Interior Advisor Rehman Malik has said that the Taliban have killed some of the family members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud as revenge for his death in a US drone strike earlier this month. "The Taliban insurgents have killed Baitullah Mehsud's father-in-law and some other people on suspicion of their involvement in the killing of their former chief," The News quoted Malik, as saying.

August 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.

August 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.

August 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.

August 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.

August 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.

August 10th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - * Army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas has said that information gleaned from multiple sources have confirmed the death of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud in a CIA missile strike last Wednesday. Claims and counterclaims about whether Mehsud is alive or dead have swirled since the Wednesday drone strike in South Waziristan.

August 10th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik said two sources have confirmed the death of Tehreek-e-Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud. The Interior Minister said he did not blow any trumpet of anything; an attack on Mehsud was conducted in the night falling between August 5 and 6, adding intelligence sources confirmed his death.

August 10th, 2009 WANA (NWFP, Pakistan), - An aide to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Baitullah Mehsud, Maulana Noor Saeed, has rubbished reports of him being killed by a US drone strike last Wednesday, and said that he is alive, but ill. Saeed was quoted by the BBC, as saying that Baitullah will issue a video message some time on Monday to quash speculations regarding his demise.

August 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.

August 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.