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| US drone killed senior Haqqani commander, Pakistani officials confirm | US drone killed senior Haqqani commander, Pakistani officials confirm |
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| Pakistani intelligence officials have confirmed that a US drone strike near the Afghan border last week killed the son of the founder of the powerful Haqqani militant network – a major blow to one of the most feared groups fighting Isaf troops in Afghanistan. | Pakistani intelligence officials have confirmed that a US drone strike near the Afghan border last week killed the son of the founder of the powerful Haqqani militant network – a major blow to one of the most feared groups fighting Isaf troops in Afghanistan. |
| Badruddin Haqqani, who was believed to be the organisation's day-to-day operations commander, was killed on 24 August in one of three strikes that hit militant hideouts in the Shawal valley in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal area, said two senior intelligence officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. | Badruddin Haqqani, who was believed to be the organisation's day-to-day operations commander, was killed on 24 August in one of three strikes that hit militant hideouts in the Shawal valley in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal area, said two senior intelligence officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. |
| The presence of the mostly Afghan Haqqani network in North Waziristan has been a major source of friction between Pakistan and the US. The Obama administration has repeatedly called on Pakistan to stop the group from using its territory to launch attacks in Afghanistan, but Islamabad has refused, a stance many analysts believe is driven by the country's strong historical ties to the Haqqani network's founder, Jalaluddin Haqqani. | The presence of the mostly Afghan Haqqani network in North Waziristan has been a major source of friction between Pakistan and the US. The Obama administration has repeatedly called on Pakistan to stop the group from using its territory to launch attacks in Afghanistan, but Islamabad has refused, a stance many analysts believe is driven by the country's strong historical ties to the Haqqani network's founder, Jalaluddin Haqqani. |
| The Pakistani officials did not specify which of the three strikes killed Badruddin, but said he was leaving a hideout when the missiles hit. Confirmation of his death came from their sources within the Taliban, which is allied with the Haqqani network, and agents on the ground, they said. Neither the officials nor their sources had seen Badruddin's body. | The Pakistani officials did not specify which of the three strikes killed Badruddin, but said he was leaving a hideout when the missiles hit. Confirmation of his death came from their sources within the Taliban, which is allied with the Haqqani network, and agents on the ground, they said. Neither the officials nor their sources had seen Badruddin's body. |
| Pakistani intelligence officials previously said they were 90% sure Badruddin was killed in a drone strike in a different part of North Waziristan on 21 August. It is unclear what caused the discrepancy. | Pakistani intelligence officials previously said they were 90% sure Badruddin was killed in a drone strike in a different part of North Waziristan on 21 August. It is unclear what caused the discrepancy. |
| Afghanistan's intelligence agency said several days ago that its operatives had confirmed Badruddin's death, but did not provide any details. A senior Taliban commander has also confirmed the militant's death. | Afghanistan's intelligence agency said several days ago that its operatives had confirmed Badruddin's death, but did not provide any details. A senior Taliban commander has also confirmed the militant's death. |
| However, a Taliban spokesman in Afghanistan, Zabiullah Mujahid, has rejected reports of Badruddin's death, calling them "propaganda of the enemy". | However, a Taliban spokesman in Afghanistan, Zabiullah Mujahid, has rejected reports of Badruddin's death, calling them "propaganda of the enemy". |
| The US does not often comment publicly on the covert CIA drone programme in Pakistan and has not said whether Badruddin was killed. | The US does not often comment publicly on the covert CIA drone programme in Pakistan and has not said whether Badruddin was killed. |
| The areas where the American drone strikes generally occur are extremely remote and dangerous, making it difficult for reporters or others to verify a particular person's death. | The areas where the American drone strikes generally occur are extremely remote and dangerous, making it difficult for reporters or others to verify a particular person's death. |
| Badruddin is considered a vital part of the Haqqani structure. He is believed to be the network's day-to-day operations commander, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War. | Badruddin is considered a vital part of the Haqqani structure. He is believed to be the network's day-to-day operations commander, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War. |
| The US state department has designated Badruddin, along with his father and brothers Nasiruddin and Sirajuddin, as terrorists. The state department said in May 2011 that Badruddin sat on the Miram Shah Shura, a group that controls all Haqqani network activities and co-ordinates attacks in south-eastern Afghanistan. | The US state department has designated Badruddin, along with his father and brothers Nasiruddin and Sirajuddin, as terrorists. The state department said in May 2011 that Badruddin sat on the Miram Shah Shura, a group that controls all Haqqani network activities and co-ordinates attacks in south-eastern Afghanistan. |
| Badruddin is also believed to have been responsible for the 2008 kidnapping of the New York Times reporter David Rohde, the department said. | Badruddin is also believed to have been responsible for the 2008 kidnapping of the New York Times reporter David Rohde, the department said. |
| After their father in effect retired in 2005, Badruddin and his brother Sirajuddin expanded the network into kidnapping and extortion, both highly profitable for the organisation, according to a recent report by the Combating Terrorism Center (CTC), based in West Point, New York. Afghan intelligence authorities have released intercepts of Badruddin orchestrating an attack against the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul in 2011, the CTC said. | After their father in effect retired in 2005, Badruddin and his brother Sirajuddin expanded the network into kidnapping and extortion, both highly profitable for the organisation, according to a recent report by the Combating Terrorism Center (CTC), based in West Point, New York. Afghan intelligence authorities have released intercepts of Badruddin orchestrating an attack against the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul in 2011, the CTC said. |
| The US has long seen the Haqqani network as one of the biggest threats to US and Nato forces in Afghanistan as well as the country's long-term stability. The group has shown little interest in negotiating with Washington, and has pulled off some of the highest-profile and most complex attacks in Afghanistan, although not necessarily the most deadly. | The US has long seen the Haqqani network as one of the biggest threats to US and Nato forces in Afghanistan as well as the country's long-term stability. The group has shown little interest in negotiating with Washington, and has pulled off some of the highest-profile and most complex attacks in Afghanistan, although not necessarily the most deadly. |
| The Pakistani military has refused to target the Haqqani network, saying its troops are stretched too thin fighting militants at war with the state in other parts of the tribal region. But many analysts believe the military sees the group as an important potential ally in Afghanistan after foreign forces withdraw. Pakistan worked closely with Badruddin's father, Jalaluddin, during the war against the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 1980s. | The Pakistani military has refused to target the Haqqani network, saying its troops are stretched too thin fighting militants at war with the state in other parts of the tribal region. But many analysts believe the military sees the group as an important potential ally in Afghanistan after foreign forces withdraw. Pakistan worked closely with Badruddin's father, Jalaluddin, during the war against the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 1980s. |
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