Drone attack targets Pakistani Taliban chief; 12 militants killed

A U.S. drone fired two missiles on Thursday at a compound in northwest Pakistan where Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud was believed to have been. The media was rife with news of his killing in the attack however it was not confirmed if he was killed or not whereas his militant group has denied his killing.

About 12 militants were killed in the drone strike on a compound on the border between the North and South Waziristan tribal regions, near the Afghan frontier, according to the officials.

According to security sources, he was the target of the drone attacks amid reports of his presence in the area.

The officials said that the missile struck the compound of Fazal Mehsud alias Uqabi in Shaktoi in the Sararogha sub-district of South Waziristan. The area borders North Waziristan.

The Pakistani Taliban have denied their leader Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a US missile attack.

A Taliban spokesman said Mehsud had been in the area but left before the alleged training camp was attacked.

"He is safe. These are just rumours. He was not there when the attack took place," Taliban spokesman Azam Tariq told media by telephone from undisclosed location.

The United States has intensified attacks by its pilotless drone aircraft in Waziristan since a suicide killed seven CIA agents in an attack in eastern Afghanistan on Dec. 30.

Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi, who is termed a double agent by the CIA and western media, blew himself inside Forward Operating Base Chapman, a well-fortified U.S. compound in Khost province in southeast Afghanistan, killing seven CIA employees and a Jordanian officer.

After the attack the TTP had claimed the bomber was trained by its suicide squad. Days after the claim the militants released a video showing Hakimullah Mehsud sitting beside a man looking like Humam Khalil Abu Mulal al-Balawi. The latter was shown reading a statement calling for revenging the death of Baitullah Mehsud’s killing.

The chief of TTP Baitullah Mehsud was killed in a drone attack last year who was succeeded by Hakimullah Mehsud.

Though the video had created an impression that TTP is has played a key role in the attack on CIA and as if its active against US in Afghanistan, however the militant group uptill now has been engaged only against Pakistan and involved in hundreds of suicide bombings in the country.

Some analysts also believe that US is avoiding any action against TTP mainly due to its engagement within Pakistan, however the video released by militants showing Hakimullah Mehsud sitting with CIA bomber shows the terrorist group can become a major threat to US, NATO forces in the region.

- Asian Tribune -