Pakistan probes reports of Qaeda militant's death
Thursday, 30 September 2010
ISLAMABAD,Sept 29 (AP): Pakistan is investigating reports that a CIA missile strike killed a senior al-Qaeda commander as he traveled in a tribal region near the Afghan border, security officials said Wednesday.
If confirmed, Sheikh Fateh al-Misri's death would be the covert US missile programme's latest blow to Osama bin Laden's terrorist network. Al-Misri is believed to have replaced Mustafa al-Yazid, who was killed in a missile strike in May and characterized by the group as its No. 3 commander.
Still, reports of such deaths are difficult to fully verify, and many who are reported to have been killed have turned up alive later.
Al-Misri was believed to be in a vehicle in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region when a drone-fired missile struck him Saturday, two Pakistani security officials said. They said they received reports from agents in the field, but did not have a body or other indisputable confirmation of his death.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue.
US officials rarely acknowledge or discuss the missile strikes, but some have said in the past that a dozen or more top Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders have been taken out by the attacks.
Over the past month, at least 21 missile strikes have landed in Pakistan's tribal belt, a major surge. Most of the missiles hit North Waziristan, home to a number of militant groups, including the feared Haqqani network, which focuses on killing Western troops in Afghanistan.
Pakistan officially condemns the missile strikes as violations of its sovereignty, but it is believed to aid at least some of them. Officials have been relatively silent on the latest surge, however.
If confirmed, Sheikh Fateh al-Misri's death would be the covert US missile programme's latest blow to Osama bin Laden's terrorist network. Al-Misri is believed to have replaced Mustafa al-Yazid, who was killed in a missile strike in May and characterized by the group as its No. 3 commander.
Still, reports of such deaths are difficult to fully verify, and many who are reported to have been killed have turned up alive later.
Al-Misri was believed to be in a vehicle in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region when a drone-fired missile struck him Saturday, two Pakistani security officials said. They said they received reports from agents in the field, but did not have a body or other indisputable confirmation of his death.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue.
US officials rarely acknowledge or discuss the missile strikes, but some have said in the past that a dozen or more top Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders have been taken out by the attacks.
Over the past month, at least 21 missile strikes have landed in Pakistan's tribal belt, a major surge. Most of the missiles hit North Waziristan, home to a number of militant groups, including the feared Haqqani network, which focuses on killing Western troops in Afghanistan.
Pakistan officially condemns the missile strikes as violations of its sovereignty, but it is believed to aid at least some of them. Officials have been relatively silent on the latest surge, however.