Word: waziristan
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...Born into the Mehsud tribe in South Waziristan. Attended a village madrassa in Hangu district but left before completing his studies...
...Unanimously selected as leader by a 42-member shura council during a meeting held in South Waziristan, according to another Taliban commander...
...Islamabad Dead ...? U.S. and Pakistani officials strongly believe that Baitullah Mehsud, the secretive leader of Pakistan's Taliban, was killed in a U.S. drone attack on Aug. 5 in South Waziristan, despite assurances from a Taliban spokesman that the warlord was "safe." Pakistani officials are awaiting results of DNA analysis comparing the remains with those of Mehsud's brother, who was killed last October. Analysts suspect the Taliban could be denying the death until a replacement for Mehsud is chosen. Meanwhile, two senior Taliban leaders, potential Mehsud successors, were reportedly killed in subsequent days--possibly in a feud for control...
...focus on Afghanistan may also suit another powerful commander in the region, Sirajuddin Haqqani, who has influence with the Pakistani Taliban. As the head of the Haqqani network, the son of mujahedin leader Jalaluddin Haqqani has used his madrassas in Waziristan to mount vicious attacks on U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Similarly, Mullah Omar, the leader of the Afghan Taliban, may intervene to back one of the men in contention. Aftab Sherpao, Pakistan's former Interior Minister, says Omar's support was crucial to Mehsud's ambitions when the Pakistani Taliban was formed...
...militants." Over the weekend, elders from the Mehsud tribe announced they were prepared to fight the Taliban if they received government backing. That challenge, in the form of a local tribal militia, is already paying off against other Taliban militants to the north of the Swat valley. In Waziristan, it may succeed where previous military operations have failed...