ID :
76281
Thu, 08/20/2009 - 19:32
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/76281
The shortlink copeid
Militant commander Faqir Muhammad takes over Pak Taliban
Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Aug 20 (PTI) Militant commander Maulvi Faqir
Muhammad declared himself the head of the Pakistani Taliban,
saying he was temporarily replacing Baitullah Mehsud, whom
Washington and Islamabad have said was almost certainly killed
in a drone attack.
Maulvi Faqir, the commander of Taliban fighters in
Bajaur tribal region bordering Afghanistan, contacted
journalists on phone and declared himself as the new chief of
the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan Wednesday.
He denied reports of Mehsud's death, saying he is "alive
but seriously ill" and that is why he had gone into hiding. He
claimed that there would be no impact on the Taliban movement
even if Mehsud was martyred.
Faqir said no meeting of the 42-member Taliban council
known as a shura has yet been convened to elect a new head and
reports about the meeting were baseless.
He also said commanders Wali-ur-Rehman and Hakimullah
Mehsud had no right to elect a new Taliban chief without
consulting all militant factions.
US and Pakistani officials have said they are certain
that Mehsud was killed with his second wife and several
bodyguards during a Predator drone attack in South Waziristan
on August 5. Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said
authorities are gathering evidence to confirm his death.
Several Taliban commanders and spokesmen have denied
reports of Mehsud's death but have not provided any evidence
that he is still alive.
Maulvi Faqir, who was appointed deputy chief of
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan when it was formed in December 2007,
also named Swat-based Muslim Khan as the new spokesman for the
group.
He said Khan would replace Maulvi Omar, who was arrested
by security forces in Mohmand tribal region on Monday.
Pakistani officials who have questioned Maulvi Omar have
said he too has confirmed Mehsud's death in a drone attack.
Though Maulvi Omar was not a military commander, he is
believed to have considerable information on the Taliban's
organisation and strategy as he was a close aide of Mehsud.
Maulvi Faqir claimed authorities had "forcibly
extracted" a statement from Maulvi Omar regarding Mehsud's
death. PTI
Islamabad, Aug 20 (PTI) Militant commander Maulvi Faqir
Muhammad declared himself the head of the Pakistani Taliban,
saying he was temporarily replacing Baitullah Mehsud, whom
Washington and Islamabad have said was almost certainly killed
in a drone attack.
Maulvi Faqir, the commander of Taliban fighters in
Bajaur tribal region bordering Afghanistan, contacted
journalists on phone and declared himself as the new chief of
the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan Wednesday.
He denied reports of Mehsud's death, saying he is "alive
but seriously ill" and that is why he had gone into hiding. He
claimed that there would be no impact on the Taliban movement
even if Mehsud was martyred.
Faqir said no meeting of the 42-member Taliban council
known as a shura has yet been convened to elect a new head and
reports about the meeting were baseless.
He also said commanders Wali-ur-Rehman and Hakimullah
Mehsud had no right to elect a new Taliban chief without
consulting all militant factions.
US and Pakistani officials have said they are certain
that Mehsud was killed with his second wife and several
bodyguards during a Predator drone attack in South Waziristan
on August 5. Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said
authorities are gathering evidence to confirm his death.
Several Taliban commanders and spokesmen have denied
reports of Mehsud's death but have not provided any evidence
that he is still alive.
Maulvi Faqir, who was appointed deputy chief of
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan when it was formed in December 2007,
also named Swat-based Muslim Khan as the new spokesman for the
group.
He said Khan would replace Maulvi Omar, who was arrested
by security forces in Mohmand tribal region on Monday.
Pakistani officials who have questioned Maulvi Omar have
said he too has confirmed Mehsud's death in a drone attack.
Though Maulvi Omar was not a military commander, he is
believed to have considerable information on the Taliban's
organisation and strategy as he was a close aide of Mehsud.
Maulvi Faqir claimed authorities had "forcibly
extracted" a statement from Maulvi Omar regarding Mehsud's
death. PTI
