Taleban say leader escaped CIA strike

Published on Saturday 8 August 2009 19:53

A TALEBAN spokesman and a deputy to Baitullah Mehsud claimed yesterday that the Pakistani Taleban chief was not killed by a CIA missile strike, contradicting another aide who confirmed Mehsud's death a day earlier.

The claims, made in calls to Pakistani and international media organisations, might undermine the growing confidence among US and Pakistani officials that Mehsud died. But they might also be tactical manoeuvres to prevent defections as the Taleban leadership searches for a successor to Mehsud, or even to delay a decision on naming an heir.

Pakistani intelligence officials acknowledged yesterday that the missile strike was carried out with Islamabad's help, indicating growing co-ordination between the US and Pakistan, despite the latter's official disapproval of the strikes.

Hakimullah, Mehsud's deputy, and Taleban spokesman Maulvi Umar each said that Mehsud was alive. They pledged that evidence of this would soon be made available. The reports of his death "are just to discourage and destroy the morale of the Taleban", Umar said.

Umar said Mehsud was with his fighters "sound and fit" and not even injured. He said Mehsud would not be provoked into coming out into the open so soon as that would make him a target.

Hakimullah is one of the potential successors to lead the militant group. But intelligence agents said it appears likely he may be passed over for the top position in favour of another Mehsud aide, Waliur Rehman.

Asked if Mehsud could speak himself, Hakimullah said it was not possible at the moment. And asked why he did not refute the reports of Mehsud's death earlier in the week, the militant did not answer.

Mehsud's aide Kafayat Ullah said a day earlier that he was killed, with one of his two wives, on Wednesday in his stronghold in the South Waziristan tribal region.

A local tribesman said Mehsud had been at his father-in-law's house being treated for kidney pain, and had been put on a drip by a doctor, when the missile struck. The tribesman claimed he attended the Taleban chief's funeral.

Pakistani and US officials said they were getting the same reports and were reasonably confident in them, but did not have forensic evidence such as a body for irrefutable confirmation.

Mahmood Shah, a former security chief for the tribal regions, was sceptical about the Taleban's assertions that Mehsud was alive, saying the claims could be part of a leadership struggle.