Taliban Finally Confirm Mehsud's Death

Army probes reports that drone strike killed Hakimullah Mehsud

(NEWSER) - The Pakistani army is investigating reports that the leader of the Taliban in the country has died after being injured in an American military drone strike. Hakimullah Mehsud, 28, had been at the helm of the Pakistani Taliban for 5 months, having taken over after the death—also in a drone strike—of Baitullah Mehsud, reports the Los Angeles Times . But a source within the Taliban says Hakimullah Mehsud is alive and has gone "underground" to dodge a recent campaign of drone attacks, CNN reports. More»

(NEWSER) - Potentially big news out of Pakistan: A US drone may have killed Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, reports Reuters. "There is reason to believe that reports of his death may be true, but it can't be confirmed at this time," said an anonymous US official. Mehsud is an al-Qaeda ally and a top target of American forces. Among other things, he's accused of orchestrating the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. More»

Think tank issues report on Pakistan casualties

(NEWSER) - One out of three people killed by unmanned US Predator drones in Pakistan is a civilian, according to a new report sure to fuel criticism of the unmanned attacks. The report by a Washington think tank found that 32% of the more than 1,200 people killed since 2004 were bystanders instead of militants. More»

Waliur Rehman says he's sent thousands into Afghanistan to fight US

(AP) - A top Pakistani Taliban commander says he sent thousands of fighters to neighboring Afghanistan to rebuff incoming US troops, a claim that comes as a Pakistani army offensive is believed to have pushed many of his men to flee their main redoubt. Waliur Rehman told the AP in an exclusive interview Monday night that the Pakistani Taliban remain committed to battling the army in South Waziristan tribal region, but they are essentially waging a guerrilla war. More»

Media sitdown dispells rumors Hakimullah Mehsud is dead

(AP) - Hakimullah Mehsud met with reporters Sunday for the first time since winning control of Pakistan's Taliban, quashing speculation that he had been slain in a succession struggle following his predecessor's death in a US drone attack. Flanked by heavily armed fighters, the new leader sat on a blue blanket, in a freshly pressed tunic, amiable and relaxed as he cracked jokes and mixed in threats of vengeance for deadly US airstrikes. One day later, a suicide bomber attacked a UN office in Islamabad. More»