Summary Taliban and hospital sources have confirmed killing of Hakimullah Mehsud in US drone attack.
MIRANSHAH (Dunya News) - At least five people, including TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud were killed in missile strike in North Waziristian on Friday.
According to sources, four missiles were fired on a compound in Dandae Darpakhel area of Miranshah, killing at least five persons. The sources added that TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in the drone attack.
Sources further said that the compound was completely destroyed as an important meeting of the Pakistani Taliban was ongoing when the missiles hit the compound.
Another key Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander Abdullah and Tariq Mehsud, a personal guard of the TTP chief were also killed in the attack, sources confirmed.
Later, Taliban sources confirmed killing of the TTP chief in US drone attack. They announced that funeral prayer of Hakimullah Mehsud would be offered on Satauday afternoon.
Earlier, the government of Pakistan had also strongly condemned the US drone strikes. "These strikes are a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
There is an across the board consensus in Pakistan that these drone strikes must end." the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif pressed President Barack Obama to end the attacks in a visit to the White House last week, but the US considers the attacks vital to its battle against al-Qaida and the Taliban and gave no indication it was willing to abandon them.
The Pakistani Defence Ministry Wednesday said 317 US drone strikes in the country s tribal areas had killed 67 civilians and 2,160 militants in Pakistan since 2008. Other organisations have given much higher estimates for the civilian casualties of drone strikes in the region.
