Posted on 07/10/2009 10:03:16 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
The leader of Taliban militants in Pakistan's Swat district has been critically wounded and is close to death, the BBC has learned.
The information about Maulana Fazlullah confirms statements from senior government and security officials.
A former village cleric, he founded the branch of the Taliban movement which eventually took over the Swat valley.
After a recent offensive, Pakistan's army says it has almost defeated rebels in that sector of the north-west.
It has been battling Taliban militants there for about two months and the government says it has regained control of the region.
'No medicine'
The information about Maulana Falzullah was gathered from interviews carried out by the BBC in his heartland in the north-west of Pakistan.
"Maulana Fazlullah was actually hit in two air strikes, and is critically wounded," Mingora resident Wasif Ali - who did not disclose his real name for personal security reasons - told the BBC on Wednesday during a trip to Swat.
"He is now stranded in Imam Dehri without any access to medical assistance and is close to death."
Mr Ali has close contacts with the militants and has been keeping a close watch on their movements in the area.
He confirmed that another senior Taliban leader, Shah Duran, was also killed in an air strike as earlier stated by the army.
Taleban supporters in Swat, 21 February 2009 The Taliban overran the Swat valley earlier this year
Interviews with other locals corroborated claims that Maulana Fazlullah had been seriously injured.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Flying high in April
Swat down in May
or June or July
HeLLFiRe Greeting Cards
available online
Hopefully a close friend of Osama (One Sad-Ass Mistake, Afgahnistan)
Good news!
Let’s hope it takes him months to expire and he suffers every day of them.
‘Swat Taliban chief near death’
Can’t come soon enough.
lead poisoning.
Maulana Fazlullah has been protecting Zawahiri for years.
“What is best in life?” To smite the jihadists, to drive their useful infidels before you, and to hear the lamentations of the mullahs! Allahu fubar!
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