Pakistan Security Brief

Pakistan Security Brief - September 1, 2009

A Pakistani military official reported that over one hundred militants, including more than a dozen from a 'most wanted' list; more than forty bodies of suspected militants were founded dead in the Swat valley Tuesday, reportedly killed by anti-Taliban locals; Pakistani government raids in Khyber agency reportedly destroyed four Lashkar-e-Islam bases during operations on Tuesday that also led to more than forty arrests; rumors persist that new TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud is dead.�

• Rumors persist that newly-appointed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakimullah Mehsud is in fact dead, despite Taliban insistence to the contrary. A private TV channel reportedly claimed that recent interviews supposedly given by the militant should in fact be attributed to a look-alike brother helping to cover up his sibling's death while Taliban leadership searches for a new commander.[1]
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• The commander of Pakistani military operations against the Taliban in Swat reported Tuesday that 105 militants--including 18 on the "most wanted" list-- had laid down their arms since the beginning of search and clearance operations in the area.[2]
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• At least 41 more bodies of suspected militants were found in the Swat Valley Tuesday. Security officials believe that they were killed by local residents in an attempt to prevent the Taliban reestablishing themselves in the area.[3]
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• Pakistani Government raids in Khyber destroyed four Lashkar-e-Islam bases and killed forty suspected militants, local authorities claim. Forty-three more were reportedly arrested during the operation Tuesday.[4]� �