Family members of Baitullah Mehsud die after brutal torture in Taliban custody

October 5th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's new Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud has met journalists, ending speculation about his death, and vowed to avenge drone attacks and the killing of his predecessor Baitullah Mehsud. Hakimullah Mehsud met reporters Sunday in the country's tribal area for the first time since gaining control over the militant outfit, Dawn reported Monday.

October 5th, 2009 SARAROGHA - Newly appointed Pak-Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud met with reporters in Pakistan's tribal areas, ending speculations on his death. Mehsud, surrounded by other Taliban commanders in a show of unity, spoke to a small group of reporters on Sunday on condition the interview only be published on Monday, The Dawn reports.

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 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 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 PESHAWAR - Four relatives of Pakistan Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud have been detained by the militants on suspicion that they tipped off the authorities about his whereabouts, and this led to his death. A foreign news agency said quoted a senior intelligence official as saying that Mehsud's father-in-law, Ikramuddin Mehsud, his son, one of his brothers and a nephew had been detained by the Taliban on suspicion that they had passed on information about Mehsud's whereabouts.

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 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 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.

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 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.

July 15th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - A pro-government Taliban leader, Turkistan Bhittani, has accused the local administration of helping the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud establish his command in the North West Frontier Province's Tank District. Addressing a press conference, Bhittani, whom the government has been projecting as the leader of so-called 'good Taliban', claimed that the Tank administration is helping Mehsud gain a foothold in the region.

June 25th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Cracks within the Taliban are getting wider, with the younger brother of Qari Zainuddin, Misbahuddin Mehsud, vowing to continue the fight against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud until the Taliban warlord is killed. Misbahuddin Mehsud, who was appointed the new chief of the Abdullah Group, a breakaway Taliban organization, said he would lend all support to the military operation in South Waziristan against the TTP chief to revenge Zainuddin's murder, who was apparently killed for his anti-Mehsud remarks.