Islamabad, February 11: With intelligence and Taliban sources confirming the death of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Hakimullah Mehsud of injuries sustained in a US drone attack, speculations are rife about his possible successor.
“I think Wali-ur-Rehman will be the best choice for TTP in case of Hakimullah is dead,” Salim Safi, a security analyst, told.
Commander Wali-ur-Rehman Mehsud, 36, was Hakimullah’s second-in-command and belongs to the same powerful Mehsud tribe, which makes up 60 percent of the population of South Waziristan.
He was in close contest with Hakimullah over succeeding slain TTP leader Baitullah Mehsud who was killed in a US drone attack last August in South Waziristan.
At the time, intelligence agencies claimed bloody fights between Wali and Hakimullah groups over the TTP leadership after Baitullah’s death.
The two commanders later appeared in a video together to refute any differences over the Taliban leadership.
Commander Noor Jamal, the TTP chief in Orakzai agency, and Azam Tariq, the group’s spokesman are also possible leadership candidates.
A tall, white-skinned traditional Pashtun in his early thirties, Noor Jamal had been a little-known commander till a few weeks back.
He came into limelight after a purported video was aired by international and local media showing him lashing a teenaged boy and two men for not growing beards and not offering prayers in Orakzai agency.
Azam Tariq, 32, has been Taliban spokesmen since late August after Hakimullah was elected the new TTP leader.
Tariq, a senior commander, was a close aide of Hakimullah who is believed to have died last week from injuries sustained in a US drone attack at a compound in Shkatoi area of North Waziristan on January 14.
A senior intelligence official told IOL Hakimullah died while being taken to the southern Punjab city of Multan, the hometown of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, for treatment.
“However, he did not survive and passed away before reaching Multan,” he said requesting anonymity.
Taliban sources in South and North Waziristan also confirm the death of Hakimullah, who is believed to have been behind an ongoing wave of suicide attacks on security forces and government installations nationwide.
Sources say he was buried at an unknown place in Orakzai, the area which had been under his command before he was elected TTP leader.
Serious Blow
Experts believe Hakimullah’s death will deal a serious blow to Taliban, but will not eliminate its threat. However, Tariq, the Taliban spokesman, continues to deny the death reports.
“He is safe and sound. Reports about his death are totally untrue and baseless,” he told via satellite phone from an unknown location.
He says reports about Hakimullah’s death are being circulated to prompt him to come on the surface.
“We will not be plunged into their net.
“This is not for the first time. Such reports have been circulated various times, but every time Hakimullah Mehsud appeared to be alive.”
Defense and security analysts believe such a denial is only an attempt to buy time and put the Taliban house in order.
Shamim Shahid, a Peshawar–based analyst, says Taliban are hiding the truth to gain sometime to decide about their future leadership and to avoid morale-losing.
“It is quite evident that the ongoing military operations have broken the back of Taliban. Their structure has been badly damaged, and they are virtually on the run,” he argued.
“They are just gaining sometime to hide their disappointment and keep the security forces engaged.”
Shamim believes Hakimullah’s death will add to the growing disappointment within Taliban ranks.
“Baituallh Mehsud’s death was a turning point in war against militancy. And the death of Hakimullah has added to the growing disappointment and frustration within Taliban ranks.”
Safi, the Islamabad-based security analyst, believes Hakimullah’s death will deal a serious blow to Taliban, though will not eliminate its threat.
“It would affect the military capabilities of Taliban, but would not eliminate their ideology spread from tribal areas to Karachi,” he argued.
“When an ideology is there, then leadership comes secondary.”
Safi believes Hakimullah’s death will disturb Taliban ranks for a while only.
“The same happened in the case of Baitullah. When he was killed, the security agencies claimed that Taliban movement was taking last breaths. But nothing like that happened. Even they (Taliban) got a more furious leader.”
-Agencies