Hakimullah Mehsud and Wali-ur-Rehman Killed

GEO TV ^ | 2120 PST, Saturday, August 08, 2009 | staff

[gandalftb]

SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: Hakimullah Mehsud and another Taliban leader Wali-ur-Rehman have been killed in an armed clash erupted during the Tehreek’s Shura meeting. At the meeting Hakimullah Mehsud was appointed as TTP Chief.

[gandalftb]

The Taliban Shura Council met to name a successor to Baitullah, who had nominated Hakimullah to decide over the nomination of new Ameer. Instead Hakimullah named himself as the successor, going against the majority of the Shura that wanted Wali-ur-Rehman.

The Shura council agreed that Hakimullah had the power to name himself, per the wishes of Baitullah, and then endorsed Hakimullah the new Taliban Ameer Sahib.

Wali-ur-Rehman and Hakimullah exchanged heated words and Wali-ur-Rehman then shot Hakimullah to death, Hakimullah's bodyguards then shot Wali-ur-Rehman to death and supporters on both sides fired on each other with many killed and wounded.

So, of the three nominees only Azmatullah survives. The secret meeting was held in Makeen, S Waziristan and the shooting happened at 1630 (1030 GMT).

Great news, three for the price of one.

[LibWhacker]

Priceless!

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

So, of the three nominees only Azmatullah survives.

Great news, three for the price of one.

Math error BTTT! :oP

[2111USMC]

I just couldn’t help but chuckle out loud over this one.

They need to have more of these Shura meetings.

[realpatriot]

Hope there is video. I’ll pop the popcorn!

[gandalftb]

BTW, regarding reports that Baitullah survived, his driver was just buried in Mardan, NWFP. There is absolute fratricidal chaos in the Taliban right now, watch for lots of revenge killings from now on.

[bayouranger]

Made my day BUMP!

[csvset]

At the meeting Hakimullah Mehsud was appointed as TTP Chief.

Their Chief's initiation is a mother...

Wow. Hey, the CIA , our troops and our allies thank you for the gift.

[gandalftb]

KIA: Baitullah

Bonus round KIAs: Hakimullah + Wali-ur-Rehman

[Walmartian]

"Terrorist number nine please step to the window. Calling number nine".

[csvset]

Not a good week for the terrorists.

Town hall meeting gets violent.

[COBOL2Java]

The Taliban Shura Council met to name a successor to Baitullah, who had nominated Hakimullah to decide over the nomination of new Ameer. Instead Hakimullah named himself as the successor, going against the majority of the Shura that wanted Wali-ur-Rehman.

Going against the majority...that tactic sounds very familiar.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

OH, OK you were adding the ODD (original dead dude) into the mix.

Post retracted. :o)

[Abathar]

If there’s a video if it we need to double the speed and play the Benny Hill theme while watching it...

[STARWISE]

Suddenly returned to their Maker .. thank you, God!

[Recon Dad]

No problems with the 2nd Amendment in Pakistan.

I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure. — Clarence Darrow

[SandRat]

He's got them NOW!

[csvset]

Orcs... battling amongst themselves.

[LUV W]

May the 99 virgins laugh in derision! Couldn’t have happened
to a more hapless pair! (but dangerous, nonetheless)

[Pinkbell]

They are turning on their own. They just made the U.S.’s job easier.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Wow....is Obama causing this to happen?

[Zeppo]

Gee, I certainly hope that one of those savages had a video camera running and survived just long enough to upload it to YouTube for our viewing pleasure... That one would be a keeper...

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

And these moron terrorists think they can actually establish a world-wide caliphate?

[Proud_USA_Republican]

I’m picturing the scene from LOTR:Return of the King were the Orcs and Uruks start killing each other in one of the Mordor towers.

[Bahbah]

Whoa, more very good news.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Obamadinejad weeps when his brethren tussle.

Lovin’ this outcome. Bomb one, get two in fight for power. Now, if they could just nail the next Shura that gets called to replace the feudin’ Mehsud’s.

[worst-case scenario]

You really wish that McCain and Obama shot each other?No election?

[nufsed]

Please wire donations for flowers to me. I’m sending an e-card around for FReeper signatures.

[bill1952]

I’m ready.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

These guys don't even stay around long enough to join the coffee bar or do the yearly Secret Satan program. They also miss the enrollment period for the Taliban Health Plan but Obama is taking care of that one for them. Of course they already have a killer early retirement plan courtesy of the US military.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

NY Times reports:

Feuding Kills a Top Militant, Pakistan Says

******************************EXCERPT*********************************

By ISMAIL KHAN and SABRINA TAVERNISE

Published: August 8, 2009

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Pakistani officials said they had received information on Saturday that a ranking militant commander had been killed in a power struggle over who would succeed Baitullah Mehsud, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban.

A Pakistani government official and an intelligence official said that Hakimullah Mehsud, a young and aggressive aide to the former leader, had been shot dead in a fight with another commander who was seeking leadership, Waliur Rehman, during a meeting in a remote mountain region near the Afghan border.

Reports of Hakimullah Mehsud’s death could not be independently verified Saturday. If true, it would be the second serious loss for the Pakistani Taliban in just a week, after reports that Baitullah Mehsud had been killed in an American airstrike on Wednesday.

The killing would also solidify the belief among American and Pakistani intelligence officials that there has been a power struggle brewing within the Pakistani Taliban, which is made up of many different tribes and factions that had been brought together under Baitullah Mehsud’s leadership.

Such a conflict could strengthen the role that Al Qaeda, which is also based in northwestern Pakistan, has in shaping the Taliban. Terrorism experts say the two groups have become deeply enmeshed in recent years, and it is expected that Al Qaeda, with its international reach and stream of Persian Gulf money, will have a prominent say over who will emerge as leader.

One Pakistani official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the fighting could create an opening for the Haqqanis, another group that has close ties to Al Qaeda, to intervene in resolving the leadership issue. Sirajuddin Haqqani is the Pakistani point man for the leader of the Afghan Taliban, Mullah Muhammad Omar.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[csvset]

Shagrat and Gorbag at Cirith Ungol.

Lol.

[csvset]

Will they be reading the minutes from this meeting at the next shura ?

[ConservativeMan55]

LOL

[choirboy]

“I love it when a plan comes together!” [”Hannibal” Smith]

[G8 Diplomat]

Hakimullah and Baitullah killed in the same week!

And 0bama actually wants to have a dialog with these guys? They can’t even talk amongst themselves without fighting!

[gandalftb]

Baitullah and Hakimullah were al Qaeda's two top Pakhtun's, this is likely the worst news bin Laden and Z could get. Baitullah was a favorite of the Haqqani's also.

The biggest winner is the Pakistani's.

The Taliban coalition of 13 groups covering 40 commanders is done, there will be civil war now. This is the right time to increase drone attacks and cut off the opium trade.

We have not had a better week in Pakistan.

[GVnana]

Do we call this a “Taliban Standoff”?

[Danae]

Wow. I think thats called the enemy fighting itself.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I like that....

[gandalftb]

The best weapon against an enemy is another enemy.
Friedrich Nietzsche

[BOBTHENAILER]

interesting internal dynamics

[soycd]

Thanks for the great news. Looks like Whack-a-Mulla is getting it done!

[Cindy]

“Great news, three for the price of one.”

Yep.

[Marine_Uncle]

This is about the best news I heard in a few weeks. What a bunch of assholes they are.

[rfp1234]

Bush’s fault!

[james500]

This was posted early this morning:

Taliban commander denies Mehsud dead: report (just pinin’ for the fjords)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2311221/posts

Hakimullah Mehsud, who controls fighters in the Orakzai, Kurram and Khyber tribal regions, described reports of Mehsud’s death as “ridiculous” and said it was “the handiwork of the intelligence agencies,” the BBC Urdu service website said.

[gandalftb]

Yup, this is a murky business without a body. Circumstantial evidence is so strong in this case, the power struggle, etc. BTW, they buried his driver up in Mardan last night.