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Taliban admit commander's death | Taliban admit commander's death |
(19 minutes later) | |
The leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud, is dead, two of his senior commanders have told the BBC. | The leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud, is dead, two of his senior commanders have told the BBC. |
It is the first time that the militant group has acknowledged his death. | It is the first time that the militant group has acknowledged his death. |
The commanders, Hakimullah Mehsud and Waliur Rehman, said that he had died of injuries sustained in a US missile strike earlier this month. | |
Hakimullah has been named as successor to Baitullah Mehsud, who was Pakistan's most feared militant, accused of scores of suicide bombings and other attacks. | |
Hakimullah Mehsud, who is believed to be in his late 20s, said Baitullah Mehsud had been critically wounded by the missile strike but died only on Sunday. | |
Senior Pakistani government officials have previously said they had information that Baitullah Mehsud was killed when a missile struck his father-in-law's compound on 5 August. | |
Waliur Rehman said that Hakimullah had his support as leader, and denied reports of differences between the two men. |