Pakistan Security Brief

Pakistan Security Brief - October 1, 2009�

The Pakistani Taliban confirmed the death of its leader's brother following a clash with security forces; six militants were killed in a drone strike in North Waziristan on Wednesday; video footage allegedly depicts Pakistani soldiers beating suspected militant detainees; the US insisted in a message delivered through the US embassy in Islamabad that Mullah Omar and Osama bin Laden are in Pakistan.

• The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has confirmed that the leader of the TTP Hakimullah Mehsud's brother, Kalimullah Mehsud, was killed on Monday in North Waziristan Agency in a clash with security forces.� He was buried in North Waziristan on Wednesday.� No statement has been released by Hakimullah pertaining to his brother's death.[1]
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• Six militants were killed in a drone strike in North Waziristan Agency on Wednesday.� It is rumored that some of the individuals killed were Arabs and that the compound struck is allied with the Pakistani Taliban commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur.[2]
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• A video released on Facebook allegedly shows uniformed Pakistani soldiers beating suspected Taliban militants while police officers watch.� It is likely that the video was filmed during the recent Pakistani offensive in the Swat region.� This video could be the first proof supporting accusations that the Pakistani military participates in abuse of suspected Taliban detainees.[3]
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• US aid to Pakistan is set to triple under the recently approved Kerry-Lugar bill over the next five years.� In this bill, Pakistan will receive 1.5 billion dollars a year to be used for "combined security, economic and development assistance."� After being approved by the Senate and the House of Representatives on Wednesday the bill must be signed by Obama to go into effect.� The aid will be funneled through the US Embassy in Islamabad.[4]
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• The US continues to insist that Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar are alive in Pakistan.� This comes in a message from the Deputy Chief of the Mission at the US Embassy Gerald M. Feierstein in Islamabad.[5]