Posted on 07/03/2009 1:57:38 AM PDT by Schnucki
The “radio mullah” Maulana Fazlullah may be dead, according to still unconfirmed reports from Pakistan.
After Pakistan interior minister Rehman Malik announced on Wednesday that Fazlullah was seriously injured, Pakistan forces reportedly conducted an operation in an area in Swat which was the hideout of Fazlullah. Fazlullah was reportedly killed in the operation.
Fazlullah was traced after he called the Tehrik-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi spokesperson, Muslim Khan, directing attacks, which was tracked by the forces. In his conversation, he admitted to being injured and surrounded, having lost many commanders. The Pakistan government had last week placed his family under detention.
If Fazlullah’s death is confirmed, it would be the first big target after the Pakistan army launched operations in Dir, Buner and Swat that have just been expanded into South Waziristan. The Pakistan government has reiterated that it would not open up another front in North Waziristan.
Thus far, Pakistan has been claiming Taliban deaths, but none of those can be verified. Instead, the glaring lack of any Taliban leader caught or killed in the operations was beginning to put a big question mark on the claims of the Pakistan government. It’s largely in response to the US criticism that Pakistan put a bounty on Baitullah Mehsud’s head.
Terrorism analyst B Raman says, “TTP has a more comprehensive and well thought-out strategy (than) the Pakistan Army. The TTP has been using a good repertoire of ambushes, frontal attacks, diversionary strikes and suicide terrorism”.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesofindia.indiatimes.com ...
If true, this rates a Dirt-nap cheer!
Is he related to Pasta Fazlullah? (-;
Although it's kind of fun saying his name out loud...
At the beginning of the offensive in Swat, Fazlullah fled to Paktia Province in Afghanistan to try to hide with the Haqqani's, who refused him. Then off to Makeen in S Waziristan to hide with Baitullah Mehsud. But Baitullah was being tracked and not safe to be around. Fazlullah then left to hide in a cave near Mir Ali in N Waziristan.
From there, Fazlullah set up a satellite phone transmitter which we have been monitoring. Unsure of his movements, we waited for Fazlullah to make a call to his TTP spokesman Muslim Khan. In that call Fazlullah said he has only 30 to 40 commanders left and asked for a diversionary attack that night so that he could escape as he was surrounded.
The Paki Air Force then bombed the cave and Fazlullah's sat phone went dead.
A Paki Army search team recovered documents and the satellite system from the cave. However Fazlullah's body was not found.
Highly likely that is the end of Fazlullah.
This is the 2nd time Fazlullah has been reported dead
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