Islamabad, August 07: Tehreek-e-Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud may have been killed in a US drone attack in South Waziristan and Pakistani and American officials are collecting “physical evidence” to confirm his death.
Quoting unnamed senior Administration officials, the popular ABC News said the US and Pakistani officials now believe that Mehsud, a key al-Qaeda facilitator in Pakistan, is “very likely” killed in Wednesday’s pre-dawn attack that also resulted in the death of his second wife.
The drone fired two missiles at the home of Mehsud’s father-in-law Malik Ikramuddin, killing up to four people.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik was quoted by TV news channels as saying there were reports that Mehsud was killed in the missile strike but there was no “concrete proof” of his death.
Chief Military spokesman Athar Abbas said Mehsud’s death was not yet confirmed.
–PTI