- ISLAMABAD: Pakistani intelligence officials say they have intercepted militant radio communications indicating the Pakistani Taleban’s leader may have been killed in a recent US drone strike in northwest Pakistan.
The officials said Thursday they overheard Taleban militants in around a half a dozen intercepts discussing whether their chief, Hakimullah Mehsud, was killed on Jan. 12 in the North Waziristan tribal area. Some militants confirmed Mehsud was dead, and one criticized others for talking about the issue over the radio.
Pakistani Taleban spokesman Asimullah Mehsud denied the group’s leader was killed and said he was not in the area where the drone strike occurred.
