Pakistan Security Brief

Pakistan Security Brief - September 29, 2009�

Al Qaeda's second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri praised slain Pakistani Taliban leader Beitullah Mehsud in the first statement acknowledging the militant leader's death; Pakistan's interior minister claimed that Mullah Omar and the Quetta Shura Taliban are not in Pakistan; two drones strikes struck areas in South Waziristan and Miran Shah in North Waziristan on Tuesday, the first killing several suspected militants; security forces responded to a recent militant attack on a paramilitary base in Razmak by engaging and killed several militants in North Waziristan.

• Five suspected Taliban militants were killed in a drone attack on a compound in South Waziristan Agency on Tuesday.� The target of the attack is believed to be Irfan Mehsud but his condition is unknown.� The strike occurred in the area controlled by former TTP leader Beitullah Mehsud.� A second strike occurred just hours later in Miran Shah in North Waziristan Agency.[1]
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• In a new statement Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's second-in-command, criticizes President Obama and praises recently killed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leader Beitullah Mehsud.� This message is al Qaeda's first public recognition of Mehsud's death.[2]�
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• Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Monday that Mullah Omar is not in Pakistan and that the US is prohibited from carrying out drone attacks in Baluchistan province.� This statement comes after some US officials have expressed interest in using the drones to strike in the province's capital of Quetta in order to go after the Taliban's Quetta Shura.[3]�
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• Seven militants were killed by security forces in North Waziristan Agency in response to a Taliban rocket attack on a paramilitary base in Razmak on Sunday.� Other clashes with security forces in Waziristan have left at least sixteen militants killed in unrelated incidents.[4] ��