.:: SAMAA - Death of Hakimullah Mehsud confirmed

Staff Report

ORAKZAI AGENCY: The death of Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan chief, Hakimullah Mehsud was confirmed on Sunday while SAMAA TV aired the news of his suspected death in the drone attacks three days ago.

Hakimullah Mehsud was reported to be injured on January 14 in the drone attacks, however an audio tape was later released on January 16 revealing that Mehsud was alive.

A doctor was kidnapped from Hango for the treatment of TTP chief. Later, he was shifted from Shaktoi to Mamonzai owing to the drone attacks in the region.

Sources told SAMAA that Wali-ur Rehman and Qari Hussain are being considered to be chosen as the new TTP chief.

AGENCIES ADD: Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud may have been targeted in a drone strike on January 17 after surviving a similar attack days earlier near the Afghan border, Pakistani intelligence officials said on Sunday.

The officials said they had received unconfirmed reports that he may have died of wounds after a drone strike on two vehicles in North Waziristan, a known sanctuary for al Qaeda and Taliban militants.

Pakistan state television reported earlier that Hakimullah was killed.

PAKISTAN ARMY PROBES REPORT OF TALIBAN LEADER'S DEATH

Pakistan, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Pakistan's military said on Sunday it was investigating a report that Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a U.S. drone aircraft strike.

Pakistan state television reported that Hakimullah died from wounds sustained in a drone attack and had been buried in the Orakzai tribal region in the northwest of the country.

"We're inquiring further but so far there's no confirmation," said army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas.

Hakimullah's death would likely create disarray in Pakistan's al Qaeda-linked Taliban, analysts say, but it would not deal a major long-term blow to the group, which is fighting to topple the pro-American government. State television did not give dates for the drone attack.

Pakistani intelligence officials said they had received unconfirmed reports that Hakimullah, the number one enemy of the Pakistani state, may have died of wounds after a drone strike on two vehicles carrying militants in North Waziristan on Jan. 17, days after surviving a similar attack.

DOUBLE AGENT

Hakimullah appeared in a farewell video with the suicide bomber double agent who killed seven CIA employees in Afghanistan on Dec. 30.

The footage suggested his Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Taliban Movement of Pakistan, which has focused on fighting Pakistan's government, had become more sophisticated, taking part in the second deadliest attack in the CIA's history.

Pakistan's Taliban issued an audio tape on Jan 16. purportedly from Hakimullah denying he was killed in a U.S. drone strike two days earlier.

The intelligence officials said reports indicated Hakimullah was taken to Orakzai tribal region after the drone attack on the two vehicles, and that he may have been killed or wounded.

Washington sees Pakistan as a frontline state in its war against militancy and wants it to go after Afghan Taliban groups who cross the border and attack Western forces in Afghanistan. But Pakistan says it does not have enough resources to open new fronts against militants and must concentrate on homegrown Taliban insurgents seeking to impose their austere form of Islamic rule in nuclear-armed Pakistan.

In August 2009, a U.S. drone strike killed Pakistan Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud.

The Taliban have hit back with bombs that have killed hundreds since a security offensive launched in October that destroyed Hakimullah's bases in South Waziristan.

Hakimullah's deputy, Wali-ur-Rehman, is waiting in the wings if he is killed.

Pakistan militants warned of a full-blown war against the government if security forces launch any operation in the tribal region of North Waziristan, where Hakimullah is believed to have fled after the South Waziristan crackdown.

"We will not accept any sort of operation and if there is any preparation from the government for an operation, or government forces enter any village in this regard, that could trigger a full-fledged battle," said the Council of Mujahideen, which includes the Pakistani Taliban, in a statement.

HERE ARE SOME FACTS ABOUT HAKIMULLAH MEHSUD:

Hakimullah became overall head of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (Taliban Movement of Pakistan) in August 2009 after the death of his predecessor, Baitullah Mehsud, in a missile strike by a CIA-operated drone.

Before his elevation as Taliban head, Hakimullah was commander of about 8,000 militants in the Kurram, Orakzai and Khyber ethnic Pashtun tribal regions.

Hakimullah's profile was raised after he appeared in a farewell video with the suicide bomber who killed seven CIA employees in Afghanistan on Dec. 30.

Believed to be in his 30s, he is considered more violent than his predecessor, but also quite media savvy. He has vowed to take revenge for Mehsud's killing.

Hakimullah claimed responsibility for a daring suicide attack on Peshawar's Pearl Continental hotel last year that killed seven people, including two U.N. workers. His fighters regularly ambush trucks taking supplies through the Khyber Pass to Afghan government and Western forces across the border.

He works closely with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a group linked to al Qaeda that has its roots in central Punjab province.

Hakimullah lost all his main bases in his South Waziristan bastion in a Pakistani offensive in mid-October. His whereabouts are not known but he is believed to have fled South Waziristan to seek shelter with allies, possibly in North Waziristan.

MEHSUD’S DEATH – WILL IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO TEHREEK-E-TALIBAN PAKISTAN?

While talking to SAMAA, Ex-Secretary FATA and analyst, Mehmood Shah said that the Tehreek-e-Taliban has experienced a severe blow to its existence with the demise of Hakeemullah Mehsud in the drone strike. After the death of Hakeemullah Mehsud, the crisis of leadership has been brought into question, he added.

Wali-ur-Rehman and Qari Hussain are the candidates being considered to be given the responsibility of the leadership of the TTP, he said.

He further added that the leaders and the fighters of the TTP would be either captured or killed.

An analyst, Rustam Shah Momand said while talking to SAMAA, that the disintegration of TTP has begun. Hakeemullah’s death is the second big blow to TTP after the death of Baitullah Mehsud.

“It would be difficult for TTP to get financial support from its sympathizers as it was getting earlier during the leadership of Baitullah and Hakeemullah,” he added.

“I don’t think that there would be any future of the TTP. However, it does not mean that TTP has completely vanished. TTP would launch terrorist attacks but these would be lacking severity in comparison to the terrorist attacks in the past,” he indicated.

Taking the mindset of the Tribal people into account, he said that there is one thing that needs to be analyzed. The Tribal people still show hatred towards the government. It is time now that the peaceful movements should generate in the Tribal Areas demanding the government to compensate for the losses of the Tribal people during the fight between TTP and Army, he added.

The government needs to hold a dialogue with the people of the Tribal Areas. The government needs to assure people that Pakistan is not supporting the American war but it is fighting against those people who are not in favor of the interests of Pakistan and the Tribal Areas. The government requires complete support of the people of the Tribal Areas, he added.

Another analyst, Brigadier (Retd) Saad said that the death of Hakeemullah Mehsud is the second blow to TTP after the death of Baitullah Mehsud. There would be no organized activity in the TTP as it used to be during the times of Baitullah Mehsud and Hakeemullah Mehsud, he added.

“It would be difficult for the new leadership to command the organization effectively,” he added.

“Hakeemullah Mehsud was not a mature leader. This was reflected when he had accepted the responsibility of the Khost suicide bombing and had released his video with the Khost suicide bomber,” he said.

“TTP has been weakened after the military operations being launched by Pakistan armed forces against Taliban in the Tribal areas,” he added.

TTP would continue terrorist attacks but they may not be severe anymore, he said.

Analyst, Hassan Askari said that the death of Hakimullah Mehsud will prove to be a major setback for the Taliban. “When the leadership changes so often, it weakens the effectiveness of the organization,” he said.

“We have seen internal strife in TTP after the death of Baitullah Mehsud. I think leadership disputes of a similar kind may arise after the death of Hakimullah Mehsud,” he added.

“The efficiency of TTP would depend on the capability of the leader. But one thing is for sure that TTP will not stay as powerful as it used to be during the leadership of Baitullah Mehsud,” he expressed.

The Taliban have already lost their control in South Waziristan. The staunch Taliban fighters are still with TTP but it would be difficult for the new TTP leadership to control the jihadi groups, which were fighting in its own capacity and were in touch with TTP in the past, he added.

Another analyst, Ehtisham-ul-Haq shared a similar opinion that Mehsud’s demise might influence the leadership structure of TTP.

Analyst, Zahid Hussain added that the death of Hakimullah Mehsud is still not confirmed. TTP still enjoys its power but the banned outfit would surely be affected after the death of its leader, he added.

Sharing his views on the similar issue, another analyst, Khadim Hussain said that the drones have become an effective instrument in the counter insurgency operations.

“We cannot say that TTP has been weakened because its organizational set up still exists. There is a Taliban Shura, which will surely decide about the new leadership of TTP. I don’t think if a leadership vacuum is created in TTP,” he added.

The incident of Khost suicide bombing in Afghanistan and its responsibility being claimed by TTP reveals that TTP has its links with Al-Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban. The TTP still enjoys the support of Haqqani group. SAMAA/AGENCIES