Pak Taliban Admits Chief Baitullah Mehsud is Dead

[tekisui]

Source: Press Trust of India

Islamabad, Aug 25 (PTI) After weeks of denial, the Pakistani Taliban today acknowledged for the first time that their chief Baitullah Mehsud has died of wounds sustained in a US drone strike in the country's lawless tribal belt.

Top militant commanders Hakimullah Mehsud and Wali-ur-Rehman confirmed that the Taliban leader is dead. The 35-year-old died of injuries sustained in the US missile attack in South Waziristan earlier this month, they told the BBC.

Hakimullah has been named as the successor to Mehsud, who was Pakistan's most feared militant and accused of masterminding scores of bombings and suicide attacks. Rehman said Hakimullah had his support as leader and denied reports of differences between the two commanders.

Mehsud was critically injured in the drone attack but died only on Sunday, Hakimullah claimed.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/248281_Pak-Taliban-admits-chief-Baitullah-Mehsud-is-dead