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Pakistan Taliban spokesman 'held' Pakistan Taliban spokesman 'held'
(about 1 hour later)
Pakistani officials say the army has arrested a man they believe to be chief spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban. Pakistan's army has arrested a man they believe to be chief spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, officials say.
Maulvi Omar, spokesman for the Tehrik Taliban Pakistan (TTP), is said to have been a key aide to Baitullah Mehsud, thought to have been killed recently. Maulvi Omar, spokesman for the Tehrik Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was reportedly picked up in the Mohmand tribal area close to the Afghan border.
He was reportedly picked up while travelling in a tribal area by car close to the Afghan border. He is said to have been a key aide to Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, thought to have been killed recently.
Pakistani officials were expected to make a formal announcement of his arrest later on Tuesday. Pakistani officials were expected to produce Mr Omar before journalists later on Tuesday.
"A very, very important militant has been arrested," Major Fazal Ur Rehman, told the AFP news agency. "A very, very important militant has been arrested," Major Fazal Ur Rehman told the AFP news agency.
Mr Rehman said the detainee would be presented before journalists at a press conference in the tribal Mohmand region.Mr Rehman said the detainee would be presented before journalists at a press conference in the tribal Mohmand region.
Earlier this month, Pakistani officials said they had "credible evidence" that Baitullah Mehsud - described as the head of the Pakistani Taliban - had died in a US drone attack. Pakistani security forces have clashed with militants recently in Mohmand, which is controlled by the Taliban.
But correspondents say the situation is very unclear and information is based on rumours from deep inside militant territory in north-west Pakistan The BBC's Aleem Maqbool, in Islamabad, says Mr Omar's detention will be seen as another success for the Pakistani military.
Mr Omar was a senior aide to Baitullah Mehsud, and Pakistan will be hoping the removal of key leadership figures will plunge the Taliban into disarray, our correspondent says.
But the infrastructure through which militants have been recruited and trained and the country's complex problems remain.
The arrest follows a concerted military offensive against the Taliban in Swat.
There has been a surge of violence in the north-west after the army launched an operation to dislodge Taliban militants from their strongholds there this summer.
Islamabad and Washington claim that Baitullah Mehsud was killed in a US drone attack earlier this month.
Maulvi Omar comes from Bajaur, a tribal area where the Taliban established themselves early on.Maulvi Omar comes from Bajaur, a tribal area where the Taliban established themselves early on.