Islamabad, August 09: Confusion persisted today about the fate of two top militant commanders vying to replace Baitullah Mehsud as chief of the Pakistani Taliban, with conflicting reports emerging about their death in a fierce clash between them in the lawless tribal belt.
The fighting broke out between Hakimullah Mehsud and Wali-ur-Rehman during a meeting of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan ‘shura’ or council to choose Baitullah’s successor following the outfit chief’s reported death in a US drone attack, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said last night.
He said one of them was killed, but added that he was not in a position to confirm which of the two militant commanders had died in the clash.
State-run Pakistan Television reported that both Hakimullah and Rehman might have been killed in the clash.
Private TV news channels reported that Hakimullah was killed while Rehman was seriously injured in the clash.
–PTI