Family members of Baitullah Mehsud die after brutal torture in Taliban custodySeptember 17th, 2009 PESHAWAR - Two out of the six family members of the killed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud, who were kidnapped by the Taliban for spying on their chief, have died. Sources said Mehsud's in laws were subjected to brutal torture in custody by the Taliban.
Hakimullah Mehsud killed claim Pak security forcesSeptember 2nd, 2009 ISLAMABAD - Newly appointed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakimullah Mehsud has already been killed and it was his look-alike brother who gave an interview to the BCC some days ago, Pakistani security forces said. According to a private television channel, Hakimullah's look-alike brother was specially summoned from Afghanistan to Pakistan, while the decision to appoint their new chief was being taken by the Taliban after Baitullah Mehsud's death in a US drone attack last month.
Pak dumps military offensive plans against TTPAugust 29th, 2009 LAHORE - Overlooking the American demands, the Pakistan Government has abandoned plans to launch a military offensive against the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP), according to Time magazine. Although the group's top commando Baitullah Mehsud is said to be dead in a missile strike, the Pakistani military has concluded that a ground attack on its strongholds in South Waziristan would be too difficult, the Daily Times reports.
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.
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 does not mean Pak Taliban will fall apart: US officialAugust 10th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - An American adviser in Islamabad, Pakistan, who spoke on condition of anonymity, has cautioned that even if the Mehsuds are proved to be dead, there is no guarantee that the Pakistani Taliban would fall apart. "There is broad recognition that this is no longer an old-fashioned test of wills with troublesome Pashtun warlords and that eliminating Baitullah Mehsud would not end the insurgency in South Waziristan nor its influence on the insurgencies in North-West Frontier Province," the New York Times quotes the official, as saying in an e-mail message.
Aide says Baitullah Mehsud alive, but illAugust 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.
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.
US drone attack kills four in PakistanAugust 5th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - A suspected US drone attack, targeted at Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud's hideout, Wednesday killed four people in Pakistan's South Waziristan tribal area, a media report said.
Security official said the hideout of Baitullah Mahsud was targeted in the drone attack that took place in the area near Afghanistan.
Mission against Mehsud will continue, vows assassinated rival leader's successorJune 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.
Wazir tribes negotiating with Pak military, Taliban to keep their areas offensive-safeJune 17th, 2009 PESHAWAR - Caught between heavy shelling by the Pak air force against Baitullah Mehsud in South Waziristan and retaliatory efforts by the Taliban fighters, Ahmedzai Wazir tribes have begun negotiating with both the sides to keep their areas safe. "We have been shuttling between the Taliban and the government for three days to reach some sort of an understanding to keep the Taliban from joining Baitullah," the Daily Times quoted WANA based tribal elders, as saying.
Pak military's 'Get Baitullah' strategyJune 16th, 2009 PESHAWAR - Last week, when Pak Air Force decided to strike Makeen - a key trade centre of Mehsud tribe in South Waziristan - it was the result of a two-month long brainstorming in the military establishment on how to isolate Baitullah Mehsud within the Taliban. The offensive was virtually carried out to avenge the suicide bombing in Lahore that killed religious scholar Dr Sarfaraz Naeemi.He has a hand in virtually every terrorist attack in Pakistan," Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said recently.
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