Pakistan Security Brief - August 25, 2009

Pakistan Security Brief - August 25, 2009

The new head of the Tehrik-i Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Hakimullah Mehsud and the newly appointed chief deputy for the TTP in South Waziristan, Wali-ur Rehman, acknowledged the recent death of Beitullah Mehsud, a result of wounds he sustained following an August 5 drone strike; according to the Pakistani military, security operations in Swat and surrounding areas led to the death of three suspected militants on Tuesday; local anti-Taliban militias continued clearing operations in one area of Swat; the dead bodies of more than a dozen suspected Taliban leaders were found in Swat by local villagers, while some human rights groups claimed they were killed by the military in extra-judicial executions. �

• The Pakistani Taliban has acknowledged the death of their former leader, Beitullah Mehsud. In a joint interview Tuesday--Hakimullah and Wali-ur-Rehman--two of his top aides--confirmed that he died of wounds received in an August 5 U.S. drone strike. They went on to announce that Hakimullah has been appointed to the position of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader; Rehman will be his chief deputy for the South Waziristan region. The two emphasized that the joint phone call demonstrated their agreement and unity.[1]
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• Ongoing security operations in Swat and Malakand Tuesday led to the death of three suspected militants and the arrest of seven more. Meanwhile, local lashkars sustained their anti-Taliban activity in the Tutan Buda area of Swat with the demolition of three houses, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the region continued their return.[2]
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• The bodies of fourteen suspected Taliban members were found Tuesday by local villagers outside of Charbagh Town in Swat. Independent human rights groups claim that the deaths resulted from extra-judicial killings on the part of the Pakistani military, and demanded a full investigation into the case.[3] �